Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mestre

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,784 in Mestre, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Mestre, Italy
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Mestre
🇮🇹 Italy
$1,784
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Mestre

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,784 in Mestre, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Mestre $1,784

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,808 in Mestre, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Mestre $2,808

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,832 in Mestre, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Mestre $3,832

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Mestre, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Mestre sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Mestre by 31%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 25.6K
$13.15 €11.79
-38.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 148.9K
$91.0 €81.6
-48.31%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.1K
$12.44 €11.15
-23.63%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,540
$2.04 €1.83
47.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,693
$2.95 €2.65
-38.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,469
$1.46 €1.31
-3.42%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.0K
$6.62 €5.93
-51.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.2K
$5.40 €4.84
6.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,778
$1.72 €1.54
-12.21%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,524
$2.51 €2.25
-5.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,606
$3.22 €2.88
-45.03%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,146
$3.76 €3.37
-23.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.2K
$17.48 €15.66
-41.70%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.2K
$12.60 €11.29
-21.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 44.3K
$21.49 €19.26
-34.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.6K
$3.06 €2.74
29.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 4,911
$1.92 €1.72
-19.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,907
$3.41 €3.05
-36.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 6,910
$3.13 €2.80
-30.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,210
$1.99 €1.79
-1.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,029
$2.28 €2.04
-30.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,625
$1.65 €1.48
-30.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 3,934
$0.61 €0.55
103.28%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.5K
$6.90 €6.19
-42.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 43.3K
$6.88 €6.17
98.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,252
$1.54 €1.38
7.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,145
$1.72 €1.54
31.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,696
$1.70 €1.52
-31.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 244.8K
$40.79 €36.55
89.68%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,013
$4.73 €4.24
-73.15%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,480
$1.40 €1.26
46.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.1K
$30.66 €27.48
-72.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,262
$2.02 €1.81
-33.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 107.8M
$35.4K €31.7K
-3.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 109.7M
$36.9K €33.1K
-6.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 536.8K
$205 €184
-17.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 42.9K
$8.66 €7.76
56.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 88.8K
$29.29 €26.24
-4.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 138.3K
$48.25 €43.23
-9.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 54.4K
$20.01 €17.93
-14.09%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 21.9K
$11.13 €9.97
-37.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.5M
$682 €611
16.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 28.8M
$11.1K €9,974
-18.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 268.1K
$78.8 €70.7
7.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 183.4K
$34.06 €30.53
70.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 427.1K
$105 €94.1
28.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 309.7K
$167 €150
-41.44%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.8M
$857 €768
40.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.0M
$653 €585
-1.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.4M
$1,459 €1,308
38.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.2M
$1,163 €1,042
-13.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.2M
$1,871 €1,677
122.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.0M
$1,579 €1,415
21.00%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Mestre
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,909 €1,711
-65.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.31
230.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Mestre: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Mestre
$653 1.8% $12
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Mestre
$355 19.7% $58
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Mestre
$243 15.2% $32
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Mestre
$229 34.8% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Mestre
$173 2.5% $4.3
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Mestre
$59 36.6% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Mestre
$71 22.5% $13

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $857 in Mestre. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Mestre are about 2.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $91 in Mestre. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $355 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇮🇹 Mestre
🕒 Local time
02:11 2:11 AM
08:11 8:11 AM
6 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
87,377
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Mestre 9,340 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Mestre

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 Mestre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Mestre?
Yes – Mestre is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,675 in Mestre. 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 Mestre, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $857 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Mestre?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $91 in Mestre. 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 Mestre?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,784 in Mestre. That makes Medellin about 8% cheaper.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Mestre?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,784 in Mestre, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Mestre?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,784 in Mestre. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mestre makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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