Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mersa Matruh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mersa Matruh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $777 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,081 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 247% more than Mersa Matruh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Mersa Matruh is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04 COP 25.1K
$4.31 E£219
86.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29 COP 150.7K
$16.68 E£849
189.51%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 COP 29.4K
$4.83 E£246
95.03%
Cappuccino
$2.94 COP 9,169
$1.32 E£67.0
122.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 COP 5,817
$0.35 E£17.56
431.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,543
$0.11 E£5.66
1227.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 COP 10.0K
$1.36 E£69.4
136.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 COP 17.8K
$2.87 E£146
98.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,491
$0.85 E£43.34
69.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 COP 7,494
$0.71 E£36.12
238.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,302
$0.62 E£31.75
174.19%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,022
$1.21 E£61.7
138.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 COP 31.4K
$3.81 E£194
164.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 COP 31.1K
$4.59 E£234
117.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.20 COP 44.3K
$9.29 E£473
52.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 COP 12.4K
$1.57 E£79.8
153.50%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 COP 4,947
$0.79 E£40.08
100.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 COP 6,718
$0.58 E£29.38
270.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 COP 7,178
$0.38 E£19.35
505.26%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 COP 6,257
$0.25 E£12.72
700.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 COP 4,712
$0.33 E£16.85
357.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 COP 3,754
$0.27 E£13.69
344.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 COP 4,002
$0.22 E£11.19
481.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84 COP 12.0K
$2.00 E£102
92.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.7K
$6.02 E£306
132.72%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 COP 5,331
$1.29 E£65.6
32.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 COP 8,560
$2.74 E£139
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 COP 3,888
$0.20 E£10.16
525.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.9 COP 243.1K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,073
$0.57 E£28.80
129.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 COP 6,775
$0.42 E£21.47
416.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.29 COP 25.9K
$1.91 E£97.3
334.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,231
$0.44 E£22.46
209.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K COP 85.7M
$33.9K E£1.7M
-18.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K COP 114.0M
$28.6K E£1.5M
27.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 COP 526.6K
$14.34 E£729
1076.57%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 COP 42.4K
$7.11 E£362
90.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32 COP 88.4K
$13.70 E£697
106.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.71 COP 142.7K
$18.94 E£963
141.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22 COP 53.8K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.8K
$2.99 E£152
122.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$803 COP 2.5M
$84.7 E£4,309
848.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,190 COP 28.7M
$2,122 E£108.0K
333.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4 COP 272.7K
$32.80 E£1,668
166.34%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4 COP 185.3K
$44.31 E£2,254
33.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 433.6K
$126 E£6,394
10.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 318.5K
$54.7 E£2,781
86.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,071 COP 3.3M
$141 E£7,169
659.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$653 COP 2.0M
$77.5 E£3,943
742.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,925 COP 6.0M
$263 E£13.4K
632.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 COP 3.3M
$152 E£7,732
589.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,123 COP 12.9M
$786 E£40.0K
424.26%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,697 COP 5.3M
$447 E£22.7K
279.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mersa Matruh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$655 COP 2.0M
$97.6 E£4,964
571.20%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
21.33
-48.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mersa Matruh: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $141 in Mersa Matruh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 571% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Mersa Matruh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $131 – making Mersa Matruh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mersa Matruh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mersa Matruh cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 247%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $710 in Mersa Matruh. 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 Mersa Matruh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Mersa Matruh?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Mersa Matruh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Mersa Matruh?
Groceries cost about 129% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Mersa Matruh?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mersa Matruh, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Mersa Matruh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Mersa Matruh more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Mersa Matruh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Mersa Matruh. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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