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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $489 in Meru, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $822 in Meru, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,155 in Meru, rent included.

Medellin costs about 105% more than Meru, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Meru are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Meru 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.55 KES 717

6.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$38.95 KES 5,034

-15.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.70 KES 866

10.90%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.49 KES 322

-33.73%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.70 KES 91.0

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.53 KES 68.6

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.28 KES 295

-24.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.83 KES 366

12.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.84 KES 108

30.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.41 KES 52.6

207.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.06 KES 137

30.19%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.41 KES 182

54.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.83 KES 1,528

-62.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.75 KES 873

-14.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.88 KES 631

83.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.09 KES 399

-24.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.75 KES 97.4

41.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.79 KES 102

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.75 KES 97.6

81.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.06 KES 137

6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.99 KES 128

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.22 KES 28.36

309.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.44 KES 57.1

104.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.07 KES 397

-27.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$11.46 KES 1,481

5.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.30 KES 298

-48.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.79 KES 361

-11.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.57 KES 203

-9.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.52 KES 196

28.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.85 KES 369

176.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.03 KES 134

-3.88%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

-18.50%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

33.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$34.33 KES 4,437

141.80%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.69 KES 2,157

-41.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$39.11 KES 5,055

-39.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.14 KES 794

-35.67%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$201 KES 26.0K

56.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$8,069 KES 1.0M

-25.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$18.42 KES 2,380

225.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$23.74 KES 3,068

34.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$65.0 KES 8,402

56.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$57.1 KES 7,385

88.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Meru: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Meru. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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 105%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $734 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 5% 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 $489, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.