Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Molo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Molo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $544 in Molo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $882 in Molo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,220 in Molo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 209% more than Molo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Molo is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.55 KES 589

76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$35.29 KES 4,566

35.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.03 KES 781

64.01%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.75 KES 356

13.82%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.58 KES 75.6

229.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.64 KES 82.5

135.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.27 KES 293

37.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.65 KES 343

116.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.94 KES 122

53.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.58 KES 74.4

329.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.86 KES 241

-4.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.70 KES 220

74.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.67 KES 1,380

-5.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.33 KES 819

59.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.11 KES 791

134.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$3.31 KES 428

25.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.07 KES 138

50.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$2.06 KES 267

9.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.13 KES 146

99.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.14 KES 148

78.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.09 KES 141

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.67 KES 87.3

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.74 KES 95.8

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.44 KES 445

13.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.61 KES 1,503

20.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$2.32 KES 300

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.74 KES 354

4.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.52 KES 197

-13.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.51 KES 195

45.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$2.92 KES 378

198.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.57 KES 204

-12.74%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

28.44%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$20.5K KES 2.7M

74.60%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$62.5 KES 8,082

183.86%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$15.75 KES 2,038

-11.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$35.67 KES 4,616

-16.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$7.90 KES 1,022

-15.82%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$246 KES 31.8K

230.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$11.4K KES 1.5M

-19.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$27.81 KES 3,599

221.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$28.43 KES 3,679

107.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$68.9 KES 8,909

100.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$58.0 KES 7,498

76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$386 KES 49.9K

75.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

14.71

-25.63%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 76% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $35.00 in Molo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $206 – making Molo 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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 209%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $816 in Molo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Molo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 Molo, where all-in costs run around $544, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Molo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Molo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Molo. 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.