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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $943 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,641 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $2,339 in Marabella.

Living in Medellin is roughly 10% more expensive than Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Marabella 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$10.24 TTD 69.5

-42.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$89.1 TTD 605

-63.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.54 TTD 51.2

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.78 TTD 25.69

-55.03%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.10 TTD 7.47

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.76 TTD 5.18

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.82 TTD 12.34

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.03 TTD 20.61

2.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.74 TTD 18.60

-61.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.74 TTD 18.59

-54.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.56 TTD 17.40

-45.70%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.91 TTD 33.34

-53.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.79 TTD 52.9

-44.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.38 TTD 70.5

-43.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.57 TTD 98.9

-39.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.69 TTD 38.61

-60.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.52 TTD 17.13

-57.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.43 TTD 30.08

-65.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.81 TTD 32.63

-71.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.44 TTD 9.79

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.73 TTD 11.71

-35.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.97 TTD 13.38

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.47 TTD 9.98

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.03 TTD 40.97

-61.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.73 TTD 134

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.12 TTD 14.38

-43.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.76 TTD 18.73

-14.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.06 TTD 7.18

35.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.24 TTD 8.41

54.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.59 TTD 99.1

-45.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.14 TTD 7.74

-17.54%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.1K TTD 231.3K

-47.40%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$37.8K TTD 256.8K

-29.17%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$79.1 TTD 537

6.12%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$47.09 TTD 320

-79.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$60.8 TTD 413

-60.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.96 TTD 67.6

-60.64%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$328 TTD 2,228

-6.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,263 TTD 49.3K

-18.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.3 TTD 402

-2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$37.90 TTD 257

-16.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$148 TTD 1,003

-32.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$126 TTD 859

-15.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Marabella: April 26, 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 $190 vs $378 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $943 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,550 in Medellin and $1,414 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 99% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $943 in Marabella – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Marabella versus $1,034 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 10% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.