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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Midlands, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,709 in Midlands, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,353 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 25% lower, Midlands 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.77 MUR 317

-12.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$44.86 MUR 2,101

-26.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.07 MUR 331

5.09%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.55 MUR 119

-35.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.96 MUR 45.02

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.60 MUR 28.01

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.18 MUR 102

-21.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.31 MUR 155

-3.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.69 MUR 79.1

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.70 MUR 32.93

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.28 MUR 60.1

7.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.25 MUR 105

-3.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$12.07 MUR 565

-62.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.13 MUR 287

-5.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.49 MUR 585

-28.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.08 MUR 97.2

11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.93 MUR 90.4

-45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.51 MUR 70.7

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.64 MUR 123

-48.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.02 MUR 48.01

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.95 MUR 44.30

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.85 MUR 39.64

5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.75 MUR 35.09

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.76 MUR 317

-67.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.56 MUR 401

41.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.79 MUR 83.8

-33.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.23 MUR 104

11.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.04 MUR 48.73

-18.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.51 MUR 211

-68.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.72 MUR 128

-28.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.45 MUR 911

-59.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.46 MUR 68.4

-32.19%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-50.18%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-5.93%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$48.57 MUR 2,275

70.91%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$18.04 MUR 845

-46.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$33.05 MUR 1,548

-28.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$37.65 MUR 1,763

-32.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.88 MUR 276

-32.82%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$152 MUR 7,110

108.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

48.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$83.7 MUR 3,922

-28.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$79.8 MUR 3,738

-60.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$131 MUR 6,127

-22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$96.1 MUR 4,501

11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$519 MUR 24.3K

-8.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$347 MUR 16.2K

7.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$955 MUR 44.8K

-11.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$721 MUR 33.8K

-0.15%

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

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $519 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 $45.00 in Midlands. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,598 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 $45.00 in Midlands. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,003, than in Midlands at $1,065. 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.