Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Midlands Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Midlands

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,078 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,741 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,405 in Midlands, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Midlands, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.67 MUR 314

-10.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$44.23 MUR 2,083

-24.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.20 MUR 339

0.42%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.54 MUR 119

-35.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.95 MUR 44.91

14.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.59 MUR 27.91

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.23 MUR 105

-21.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.32 MUR 156

-2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.68 MUR 79.2

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.71 MUR 33.50

81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.32 MUR 62.1

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.35 MUR 111

-3.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.71 MUR 551

-62.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.11 MUR 288

-3.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$12.51 MUR 589

-31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.99 MUR 93.6

13.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.01 MUR 94.7

-46.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.51 MUR 71.1

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.71 MUR 128

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.99 MUR 46.48

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.93 MUR 43.70

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.79 MUR 37.14

12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.81 MUR 38.22

11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.50 MUR 306

-65.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.25 MUR 389

33.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.72 MUR 81.0

-33.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.21 MUR 104

7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.01 MUR 47.34

-16.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.49 MUR 211

-68.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.75 MUR 129

-30.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$20.01 MUR 942

-61.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.40 MUR 66.0

-27.86%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-50.75%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

-8.92%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$49.38 MUR 2,325

69.46%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.03 MUR 849

-47.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$33.05 MUR 1,556

-27.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.69 MUR 1,775

-32.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.89 MUR 277

-30.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$155 MUR 7,285

101.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

48.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$86.4 MUR 4,069

-32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$79.5 MUR 3,745

-59.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$130 MUR 6,128

-23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$95.5 MUR 4,495

13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$515 MUR 24.3K

-6.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$358 MUR 16.9K

5.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$930 MUR 43.8K

-9.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$717 MUR 33.8K

0.79%

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

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Midlands: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $515 in Midlands. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Midlands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $231 – making Medellin 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 Midlands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Midlands is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,617 in Midlands. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Midlands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Midlands, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Midlands at $1,078. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midlands it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Midlands makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.