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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,075 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,755 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,434 in Midlands, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Midlands, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Midlands are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.71 MUR 314

-11.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.01 MUR 2,059

-25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.20 MUR 337

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.69 MUR 126

-36.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.95 MUR 44.31

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.60 MUR 28.09

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.24 MUR 105

-25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.21 MUR 150

-3.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.67 MUR 78.2

-36.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.71 MUR 32.99

76.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.27 MUR 59.4

9.45%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.25 MUR 105

0.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$12.06 MUR 564

-64.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.22 MUR 291

-6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.70 MUR 594

-30.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.04 MUR 95.5

9.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.04 MUR 95.4

-47.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.45 MUR 68.1

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.64 MUR 124

-48.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.99 MUR 46.22

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.93 MUR 43.36

20.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.84 MUR 39.31

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.81 MUR 37.88

12.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.78 MUR 317

-65.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.37 MUR 392

32.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.71 MUR 80.1

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.14 MUR 100

10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.03 MUR 48.30

-23.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.37 MUR 205

-67.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.74 MUR 128

-30.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$19.93 MUR 933

-59.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.45 MUR 68.0

-35.17%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.1K MUR 1.6M

-48.93%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.7K MUR 1.3M

-6.50%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$48.65 MUR 2,276

72.58%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.58 MUR 869

-48.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$33.46 MUR 1,566

-27.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$37.83 MUR 1,770

-31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.01 MUR 281

-34.78%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$152 MUR 7,117

101.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,933 MUR 184.0K

50.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$85.0 MUR 3,975

-31.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$78.3 MUR 3,664

-59.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$133 MUR 6,243

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$93.9 MUR 4,391

14.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$509 MUR 23.8K

-4.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$357 MUR 16.7K

3.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$932 MUR 43.6K

-11.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$730 MUR 34.1K

-1.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $509 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 $232 – 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 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,613 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 $1,034, than in Midlands at $1,075. 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.