Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maseru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maseru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $681 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,098 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,515 in Maseru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 49% more expensive than Maseru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Maseru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$11.24 LSL 183

-46.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$24.79 LSL 404

32.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.96 LSL 179

-35.31%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.76 LSL 28.62

-2.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.32 LSL 21.60

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.75 LSL 12.21

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.95 LSL 31.73

-13.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.22 LSL 36.13

38.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.99 LSL 16.19

10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.71 LSL 11.61

77.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.18 LSL 35.55

-36.70%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.37 LSL 22.41

59.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.17 LSL 117

-38.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.56 LSL 90.6

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.71 LSL 93.0

55.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.66 LSL 27.14

40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.10 LSL 34.27

-49.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.53 LSL 41.31

-40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.18 LSL 35.52

-36.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.49 LSL 24.23

-22.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.51 LSL 24.67

-23.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.37 LSL 22.26

-35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.78 LSL 12.77

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$4.85 LSL 79.1

-52.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.26 LSL 118

46.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.96 LSL 15.70

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.44 LSL 23.44

71.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.70 LSL 11.37

22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$28.09 LSL 458

47.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.64 LSL 10.51

129.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.61 LSL 10.01

221.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.04 LSL 164

-22.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.14 LSL 18.63

-16.67%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$20.0K LSL 325.5K

-9.20%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$15.3K LSL 249.8K

72.81%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.60 LSL 222

-30.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$31.41 LSL 512

-22.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.63 LSL 353

19.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$48.66 LSL 793

535.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,124 LSL 18.3K

430.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$43.80 LSL 714

33.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$39.16 LSL 638

-17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$98.9 LSL 1,611

3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$139 LSL 2,268

-22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$140 LSL 2,279

240.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$72.5 LSL 1,181

422.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$396 LSL 6,458

111.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$157 LSL 2,561

360.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$386 LSL 6,296

622.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$528 LSL 8,605

129.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$643 LSL 10.5K

-20.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.5

58.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maseru: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $140 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $25.00 in Maseru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $184 per month, with Maseru 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 Maseru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Maseru differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $681 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Maseru earns 26% less. 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: $476 in Medellin versus $140 in Maseru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $681 in Maseru – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Maseru versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.