Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Moka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $922 in Moka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,530 in Moka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,137 in Moka, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Moka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Moka is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$6.31 MUR 294

27.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$27.95 MUR 1,304

72.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

$6.77 MUR 316

39.14%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$4.25 MUR 198

-30.82%

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

$1.86 COP 5,754

$1.06 MUR 49.35

75.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$0.33 MUR 15.41

342.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$2.70 MUR 126

18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.29 MUR 154

73.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$1.46 MUR 68.1

-1.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$0.93 MUR 43.28

158.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$1.66 MUR 77.5

2.41%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$3.14 MUR 147

-7.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$10.60 MUR 494

-5.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$15.06 MUR 703

-5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$3.04 MUR 142

30.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$1.68 MUR 78.4

-5.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$4.18 MUR 195

-48.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$4.18 MUR 195

-44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$1.04 MUR 48.57

92.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$1.04 MUR 48.60

45.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

$0.99 MUR 46.40

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$0.57 MUR 26.57

124.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.37 MUR 297

-39.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$10.16 MUR 474

37.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$2.20 MUR 103

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$2.29 MUR 107

19.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

$3.24 MUR 151

-59.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$1.61 MUR 75.2

-15.53%

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

$27.5K COP 84.8M

$25.8K MUR 1.2M

6.31%

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

$36.5K COP 112.8M

$42.4K MUR 2.0M

-13.88%

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

$169 COP 521.0K

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

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$4.31 MUR 201

214.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$23.87 MUR 1,114

18.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

$21.51 MUR 1,004

112.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.87 MUR 274

13.29%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$127 MUR 5,922

533.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

$84.3 MUR 3,933

3.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

$42.08 MUR 1,964

41.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

$94.9 MUR 4,426

46.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

$78.3 MUR 3,653

30.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$519 MUR 24.2K

106.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$315 MUR 14.7K

107.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$891 MUR 41.6K

115.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$708 MUR 33.0K

48.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$697 MUR 32.5K

-6.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Moka: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $519 in Moka. 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 6% higher in Moka, 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 $28.00 in Moka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $256 – making Moka 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 Moka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,384 in Moka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Moka, 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 $28.00 in Moka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Medellin, 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 Moka, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Moka it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Moka – 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 Moka. 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.