Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mlava Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mlava

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,458 in Mlava, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,103 in Mlava, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,748 in Mlava, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Mlava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Mlava sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Mlava by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$10.83 zł 40.23

-25.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$27.30 zł 101

76.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.06 zł 29.94

21.22%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.70 zł 10.02

7.78%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.99 zł 7.38

-2.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.71 zł 6.34

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.74 zł 10.18

12.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.87 zł 14.39

48.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.07 zł 3.97

27.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.77 zł 6.58

35.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$0.95 zł 3.53

78.95%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$4.00 zł 14.85

-28.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$9.55 zł 35.48

4.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$7.25 zł 26.93

48.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$12.23 zł 45.43

20.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.42 zł 5.26

188.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.83 zł 6.81

-14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.63 zł 6.04

30.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.22 zł 11.97

-31.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.99 zł 3.68

107.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.38 zł 5.11

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.17 zł 4.35

1.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.69 zł 2.57

68.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.02 zł 18.63

-22.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.56 zł 24.38

120.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.11 zł 4.13

42.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.42 zł 5.26

99.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.17 zł 4.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$33.50 zł 124

132.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$2.32 zł 8.63

-44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.88 zł 3.25

137.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$10.42 zł 38.71

-17.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.60 zł 5.93

-18.75%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$31.8K zł 118.1K

-13.04%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$29.0K zł 107.7K

22.46%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$264 zł 981

-33.34%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$6.75 zł 25.07

98.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$8.04 zł 29.86

271.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$40.21 zł 149

11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$23.60 zł 87.7

-27.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.35 zł 19.89

15.89%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$337 zł 1,252

135.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$5,444 zł 20.2K

65.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$85.7 zł 318

-0.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$38.45 zł 143

52.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$93.1 zł 346

46.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$81.6 zł 303

26.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$623 zł 2,315

69.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$515 zł 1,912

31.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,043 zł 3,875

92.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$881 zł 3,272

32.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$3,093 zł 11.5K

32.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$2,322 zł 8,623

-26.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,080 zł 4,010

-38.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.89

58.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mlava: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $623 in Mlava. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 62% higher in Mlava, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Mlava. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $231 – making Mlava 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 Mlava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,187 in Mlava. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mlava, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Mlava. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,458 in Mlava. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mlava, where all-in costs run around $1,458, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Mlava it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mlava – 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 Mlava. 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.