Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mossel Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mossel Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $979 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,585 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,192 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Mossel Bay 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$13.18 R 217

-55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$45.45 R 748

-27.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.23 R 136

-9.72%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.31 R 38.06

-28.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.25 R 20.56

-12.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.93 R 15.25

-16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.23 R 36.70

-22.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.72 R 44.83

16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.07 R 17.61

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.03 R 16.99

22.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$2.12 R 34.97

-34.91%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.88 R 47.37

-24.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.61 R 142

-47.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.96 R 81.6

16.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.53 R 124

19.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.65 R 27.08

40.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.04 R 17.12

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.45 R 23.86

4.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.87 R 30.82

-27.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.80 R 29.64

-37.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.56 R 25.67

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.99 R 16.27

-9.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.13 R 18.56

-20.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.28 R 53.9

-32.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.82 R 79.3

151.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.51 R 24.92

-21.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.47 R 40.67

0.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.66 R 27.39

-48.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.10 R 18.10

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.06 R 17.50

83.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.91 R 64.4

101.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.32 R 21.69

-25.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.5K R 320.9K

-9.71%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$19.2K R 316.5K

39.40%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$86.4 R 1,422

-3.89%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.68 R 275

-41.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$39.42 R 649

-40.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$19.58 R 322

29.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$13.50 R 222

41.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.84 R 113

-42.25%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$120 R 1,972

163.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,586 R 26.1K

276.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$42.59 R 701

40.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$22.17 R 365

43.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.7 R 1,263

32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$62.4 R 1,027

72.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$462 R 7,601

2.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$339 R 5,588

10.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$943 R 15.5K

-9.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$644 R 10.6K

11.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$608 R 10.0K

437.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$601 R 9,888

139.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,473 R 24.3K

-57.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.12

10.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $462 in Mossel Bay. 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 136% higher in Mossel Bay, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Mossel Bay. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $192 in Mossel Bay – so Mossel Bay wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,468 in Mossel Bay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 1% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mossel Bay, where all-in costs run around $979, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Mossel Bay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mossel Bay – 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 Mossel Bay. 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.