Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Maun

For one person, living is cheaper in Maun: $2.98 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $20,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Maun, Botswana
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Maun
🇧🇼 Botswana
$2.98
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Maun

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Maun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,692 in Medellin versus $2.98 in Maun.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Maun $2.98

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,471 in Medellin versus $5.08 in Maun.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Maun $5.08

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,249 in Medellin versus $7.17 in Maun.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Maun $7.17

Living in Medellin is roughly 56682% more expensive than in Maun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Maun is 100% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.2K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
-
-
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,702
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,599
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,948
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,397
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,279
-
-
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,900
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,934
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,794
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,405
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,810
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,518
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,778
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,101
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,688
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,756
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Maun
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,809
$0.60 P 8.11
96.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,833
$0.57 P 7.66
217.54%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,874
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,117
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.2M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 573.8K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.8K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.2K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.4K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$294 P 3,960
168.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.7K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.3K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.6K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.0K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Maun
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Maun
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Maun: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Maun
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Maun
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Maun
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Maun
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Maun
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Maun
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Maun
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇼 Maun
🕒 Local time
08:48 8:48 AM
15:48 3:48 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
55,784
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 13.45 BWP (100 BWP = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 15.06 BWP (100 BWP = 6.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Maun 11,190 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Maun

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Maun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Maun cheaper than Medellin?
Maun is about 100% cheaper overall, especially in transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,538 in Medellin and $4.47 in Maun 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $790 in Medellin versus $294 in Maun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Maun?
All in, you’ll spend $1,692 per month in Medellin versus $2.98 in Maun – Maun is about 100% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Maun?
At $2.98 in Maun versus $1,692 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Maun but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Maun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Maun?
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.

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