Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Meru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Meru

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $494 in Meru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $821 in Meru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,148 in Meru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 106% more than Meru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Meru are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Meru 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.50 KES 714

8.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$39.30 KES 5,096

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.70 KES 868

7.91%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.39 KES 310

-31.80%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.76 KES 98.8

43.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.50 KES 64.4

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.35 KES 305

-25.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.93 KES 380

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.82 KES 106

28.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.40 KES 52.4

222.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.10 KES 143

20.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.44 KES 187

57.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.48 KES 1,488

-62.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.81 KES 883

-13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.12 KES 664

68.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.07 KES 398

-26.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.78 KES 102

37.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.79 KES 103

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.75 KES 97.9

89.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.03 KES 134

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.03 KES 134

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.22 KES 28.37

304.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.45 KES 57.9

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.08 KES 399

-26.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.42 KES 1,480

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.22 KES 287

-48.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.81 KES 364

-15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.57 KES 204

-10.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.57 KES 203

21.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.97 KES 386

160.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.09 KES 141

-7.34%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.3K KES 2.8M

-17.63%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

30.61%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$34.79 KES 4,511

140.53%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$16.59 KES 2,151

-43.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.34 KES 5,101

-38.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.27 KES 813

-34.61%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$203 KES 26.4K

53.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$8,189 KES 1.1M

-26.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$18.16 KES 2,355

219.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.29 KES 3,149

34.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$64.3 KES 8,332

55.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$55.9 KES 7,252

94.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.84

-9.50%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Meru: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Meru. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $184 in Meru – so Meru wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Meru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 106%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $741 in Meru. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $39.00 in Meru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Meru, where all-in costs run around $494, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Meru it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Meru – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Meru. 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.