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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $938 in Moka, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,584 in Moka, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,230 in Moka, rent included.

Medellin costs about 8% more than Moka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Moka are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Moka 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.55 MUR 309

-8.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$44.24 MUR 2,090

-25.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.64 MUR 314

6.78%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.57 MUR 122

-33.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.95 MUR 44.79

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.61 MUR 28.60

27.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.16 MUR 102

-22.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.76 MUR 130

11.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.43 MUR 67.5

-23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.66 MUR 31.35

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.27 MUR 60.2

8.66%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.27 MUR 107

-3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.72 MUR 459

-54.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.04 MUR 285

-6.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$10.31 MUR 487

-13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.99 MUR 93.9

17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.93 MUR 91.1

-45.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.45 MUR 68.4

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.70 MUR 128

-48.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.03 MUR 48.60

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.00 MUR 47.11

16.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.83 MUR 39.29

7.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.47 MUR 22.35

78.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$5.97 MUR 282

-61.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$8.21 MUR 388

29.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.78 MUR 84.1

-32.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.66 MUR 78.6

48.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.00 MUR 47.18

-14.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$13.16 MUR 622

214.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.68 MUR 127

-45.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$2.72 MUR 129

-27.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$15.33 MUR 724

-49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.38 MUR 65.3

-31.16%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

-48.63%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-8.40%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$48.75 MUR 2,303

68.72%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$18.01 MUR 851

-47.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$26.82 MUR 1,267

-9.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$24.30 MUR 1,148

6.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.20 MUR 293

-36.61%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$153 MUR 7,243

101.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,980 MUR 188.0K

49.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$77.2 MUR 3,647

-24.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$36.63 MUR 1,731

-11.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$92.9 MUR 4,390

10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$55.9 MUR 2,643

93.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$516 MUR 24.4K

-7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$327 MUR 15.5K

15.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$948 MUR 44.8K

-11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$705 MUR 33.3K

2.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$321 MUR 15.2K

59.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.25

114.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Moka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $516 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 59% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Moka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $209 – 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 Moka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,406 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $44.00 in Moka. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $938 in Moka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Moka, where all-in costs run around $938, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.