Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marabella Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marabella

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $935 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,625 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,315 in Marabella.

Living in Medellin is roughly 7% more expensive than in Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Marabella 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$10.46 TTD 70.6

-43.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$89.2 TTD 602

-63.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.23 TTD 48.75

2.77%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$3.59 TTD 24.23

-54.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.06 TTD 7.14

3.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.77 TTD 5.20

1.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.84 TTD 12.38

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$3.04 TTD 20.52

4.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$2.64 TTD 17.81

-58.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$2.82 TTD 19.01

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$2.66 TTD 17.92

-48.12%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$5.11 TTD 34.48

-57.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.74 TTD 52.2

-41.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$10.51 TTD 70.9

-44.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$14.15 TTD 95.5

-36.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$5.68 TTD 38.34

-59.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.62 TTD 17.65

-59.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$4.28 TTD 28.90

-64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$4.70 TTD 31.70

-71.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.47 TTD 9.93

-23.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.73 TTD 11.69

-32.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.88 TTD 12.67

-52.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$1.39 TTD 9.41

-35.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$5.74 TTD 38.69

-61.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$17.86 TTD 120

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$2.22 TTD 15.01

-46.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.69 TTD 18.14

-7.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.06 TTD 7.13

33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$1.29 TTD 8.68

51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$14.53 TTD 98.0

-45.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.10 TTD 7.39

-10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$34.5K TTD 233.0K

-49.03%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$37.8K TTD 254.7K

-29.03%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$81.3 TTD 548

2.15%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$47.00 TTD 317

-79.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$60.9 TTD 411

-61.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$9.95 TTD 67.1

-60.30%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$324 TTD 2,183

-2.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$7,122 TTD 48.0K

-16.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$60.2 TTD 406

-0.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$37.85 TTD 255

-15.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$146 TTD 986

-30.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$126 TTD 852

-14.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Marabella: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $89.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $373 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Marabella: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Marabella differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $935 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,403 in Marabella to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 93% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $935 in Marabella – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $935 in Marabella versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Marabella but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marabella the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Marabella gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.