Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Male Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Male

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,501 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,377 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $3,253 in Male.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 31% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Male is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.37 MVR 82.8

14.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.25 MVR 451

11.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.52 MVR 147

-22.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 MVR 71.7

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MVR 56.3

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.96 MVR 45.72

-41.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.34 MVR 20.62

-21.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.27 MVR 4.20

185.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.86 MVR 28.72

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.62 MVR 24.95

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.31 MVR 20.23

6.87%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.80 MVR 27.71

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.25 MVR 127

-46.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.34 MVR 97.8

-7.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.04 MVR 139

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.00 MVR 61.7

-43.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$3.76 MVR 58.0

-70.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.24 MVR 65.4

-63.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.27 MVR 50.4

-58.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.55 MVR 23.89

-27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.21 MVR 18.73

-6.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$3.09 MVR 47.69

-72.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 MVR 8.18

71.70%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.46 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MVR 42.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$8.14 MVR 126

-71.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.62 MVR 9.57

35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$29.26 MVR 451

38.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.94 MVR 29.91

-26.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.93 MVR 29.80

-0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.79 MVR 151

-21.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.96 MVR 14.77

3.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.9K MVR 492.0K

-43.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$34.7K MVR 535.8K

-23.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$105 MVR 1,612

-22.69%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$41.36 MVR 638

-75.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$75.8 MVR 1,168

-68.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$81.9 MVR 1,263

-69.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$44.07 MVR 679

-56.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.48 MVR 146

-58.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$305 COP 993.4K

$164 MVR 2,524

86.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,553 MVR 54.8K

70.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.31 MVR 699

28.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$56.0 MVR 864

-42.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$91.2 MVR 1,407

10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.3 MVR 823

102.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$972 MVR 15.0K

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$697 MVR 10.8K

-46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,665 MVR 25.7K

-49.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$1,442 MVR 22.2K

-49.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,263 MVR 34.9K

42.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,886 MVR 29.1K

-27.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$866 MVR 13.4K

-28.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.4

8.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Male: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $972 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 40% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $233, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Male. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $972 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,501 in Male – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 39% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,501 in Male, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Male are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.