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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $919 in Marabella.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,634 in Marabella.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,348 in Marabella.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Marabella, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Marabella 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.54 TTD 71.3

-43.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$87.5 TTD 592

-61.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.18 TTD 48.56

0.70%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.73 TTD 25.25

-56.30%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.05 TTD 7.11

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.81 TTD 5.49

-9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.83 TTD 12.40

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.16 TTD 21.38

2.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.68 TTD 18.15

-60.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.82 TTD 19.07

-54.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.66 TTD 17.98

-50.38%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$5.12 TTD 34.62

-55.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.98 TTD 54.0

-45.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$10.55 TTD 71.4

-44.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.12 TTD 95.5

-39.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$5.79 TTD 39.15

-61.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.59 TTD 17.50

-58.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.19 TTD 28.32

-63.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$4.68 TTD 31.61

-69.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.42 TTD 9.58

-17.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.71 TTD 11.55

-31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.89 TTD 12.78

-52.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.46 TTD 9.88

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.84 TTD 39.51

-61.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$18.51 TTD 125

-40.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.20 TTD 14.89

-48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.74 TTD 18.50

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.06 TTD 7.15

33.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.27 TTD 8.59

49.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$14.80 TTD 100

-47.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.10 TTD 7.41

-8.18%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.4K TTD 225.6K

-47.31%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$38.4K TTD 259.9K

-31.08%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$79.5 TTD 538

5.22%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$46.75 TTD 316

-79.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$61.7 TTD 417

-60.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$9.99 TTD 67.6

-58.96%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$331 TTD 2,237

-5.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,219 TTD 48.8K

-16.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$58.4 TTD 395

-0.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$38.37 TTD 259

-15.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$145 TTD 983

-31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$130 TTD 882

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Marabella: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $88.0 in Marabella for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $376 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 11% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $919 including rent). Marabella is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,525 in Medellin and $1,379 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 98% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $919 in Marabella – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $919 in Marabella versus $1,017 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 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.