Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Melissia

For one person, living is cheaper in Melissia: $1,449 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Melissia, Greece
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Melissia
🇬🇷 Greece
$1,449
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Melissia

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 Melissia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,449 in Melissia, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Melissia $1,449

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,216 in Melissia, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Melissia $2,216

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $2,983 in Melissia, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Melissia $2,983

Medellin costs about 13% more than Melissia, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Medellin and Melissia sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Melissia by 6%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$11.12 €9.96
-27.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$57.8 €51.8
-18.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$8.82 €7.90
7.71%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$4.19 €3.75
-28.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$2.34 €2.09
-23.08%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$0.59 €0.53
138.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$4.43 €3.97
-28.22%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$4.89 €4.38
17.59%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.81 €1.62
-16.57%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$1.45 €1.30
64.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$2.67 €2.39
-33.71%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$5.27 €4.72
-45.16%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$12.08 €10.82
-15.65%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$10.06 €9.01
-1.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$19.36 €17.34
-27.74%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.22 €1.99
78.83%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.90 €1.70
-18.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$1.35 €1.21
61.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$2.13 €1.91
2.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$1.16 €1.04
68.97%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.09 €0.98
45.87%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$0.90 €0.80
27.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$1.16 €1.04
6.90%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$5.64 €5.06
-29.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$9.93 €8.89
37.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$2.07 €1.86
-19.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.39 €2.14
-5.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$1.37 €1.23
-14.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$54.8 €49.09
41.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$4.46 €3.99
-71.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$1.04 €0.93
97.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$16.50 €14.78
-48.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$2.21 €1.98
-38.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$27.6K €24.7K
23.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$24.4K €21.8K
42.24%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$199 €178
-14.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$25.51 €22.85
-46.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$28.69 €25.69
-2.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$53.0 €47.49
-17.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$22.20 €19.88
-22.57%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$9.56 €8.56
-27.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$466 €417
70.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$4,741 €4,246
92.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$90.4 €80.9
-6.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$39.22 €35.13
47.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$101 €90.1
34.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$124 €111
-21.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$461 €413
162.21%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$379 €339
69.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$730 €654
177.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$617 €552
64.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$2,471 €2,213
68.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,934 €1,733
-1.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Melissia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,368 €1,225
-51.95%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.48
144.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Melissia: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Melissia
$379 41% $263
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Melissia
$306 2.9% $8.7
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Melissia
$253 20% $42
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Melissia
$209 23.5% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Melissia
$160 5.6% $9.4
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Melissia
$70 25.2% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Melissia
$72 25.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $461 in Melissia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Melissia are about 2.1 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $58 in Melissia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $306 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇬🇷 Melissia
🕒 Local time
20:37 8:37 PM
03:37 3:37 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
15,588
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Melissia 10,400 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Melissia

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 Melissia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Melissia cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,173 in Melissia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Melissia, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $461 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Melissia?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $58 in Melissia. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Melissia?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,449 in Melissia. That makes Melissia about 12% cheaper.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Medellin or in Melissia?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,639 in Medellin and $1,449 in Melissia. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Medellin or Melissia more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Melissia – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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