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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $670 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,115 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,561 in Maseru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than in Maseru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Maseru 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.12 LSL 182

-44.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$24.74 LSL 406

31.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$11.04 LSL 181

-33.51%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.80 LSL 29.47

-4.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.27 LSL 20.90

-17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.80 LSL 13.07

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.99 LSL 32.62

-15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.21 LSL 36.23

43.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.99 LSL 16.16

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.76 LSL 12.47

71.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.20 LSL 36.09

-36.36%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.35 LSL 22.18

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.93 LSL 114

-36.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.64 LSL 92.6

4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.54 LSL 90.8

55.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.61 LSL 26.41

41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.05 LSL 33.64

-45.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.47 LSL 40.58

-38.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.21 LSL 36.30

-38.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.42 LSL 23.36

-20.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.47 LSL 24.12

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.32 LSL 21.61

-35.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.85 LSL 13.90

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.89 LSL 80.3

-52.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.08 LSL 116

74.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.01 LSL 16.62

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.37 LSL 22.54

81.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.71 LSL 11.60

18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$27.72 LSL 455

46.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.64 LSL 10.49

121.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.63 LSL 10.30

204.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.12 LSL 166

-24.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.14 LSL 18.77

-13.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.9K LSL 325.9K

-9.26%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$15.3K LSL 251.2K

73.84%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.53 LSL 222

-26.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$31.63 LSL 519

-23.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.63 LSL 355

15.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$47.85 LSL 785

537.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,104 LSL 18.1K

448.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$42.18 LSL 692

37.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$38.98 LSL 639

-17.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$97.7 LSL 1,602

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$138 LSL 2,266

-22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$143 LSL 2,338

234.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$71.6 LSL 1,174

425.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$402 LSL 6,586

110.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$159 LSL 2,603

360.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$391 LSL 6,415

722.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$533 LSL 8,733

157.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$631 LSL 10.3K

-2.23%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Maseru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $143 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 2% 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 $193 vs $183 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $670 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Maseru. 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 $143 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 $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $670 in Maseru – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Maseru versus $1,031 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 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.