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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $994 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,590 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,185 in Mossel Bay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Mossel Bay, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Mossel Bay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mossel Bay 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$13.28 R 223

-55.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.99 R 755

-27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$8.32 R 140

-13.46%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.35 R 39.36

-27.66%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.24 R 20.77

-11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.95 R 15.85

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.23 R 37.37

-25.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.81 R 47.20

10.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.04 R 17.39

1.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.04 R 17.52

20.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.13 R 35.68

-34.74%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.92 R 48.89

-22.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.64 R 145

-49.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.73 R 79.3

23.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.35 R 123

20.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.64 R 27.46

36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.04 R 17.48

3.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.44 R 24.17

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.92 R 32.24

-28.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.89 R 31.76

-40.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.60 R 26.78

-30.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.04 R 17.40

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.12 R 18.81

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.43 R 57.5

-32.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.28 R 88.5

110.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.45 R 24.37

-17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.46 R 41.17

-3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.66 R 27.91

-52.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.10 R 18.52

30.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.10 R 18.51

73.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.13 R 69.3

94.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.26 R 21.20

-25.40%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.4K R 325.2K

-7.59%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.8K R 331.5K

35.54%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$87.2 R 1,462

-3.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.73 R 281

-42.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$39.94 R 670

-39.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$19.61 R 329

31.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$13.48 R 226

41.25%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.81 R 114

-42.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$118 R 1,977

159.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,547 R 25.9K

282.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$42.47 R 712

36.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$21.41 R 359

48.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.4 R 1,282

30.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$62.4 R 1,046

71.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$463 R 7,764

5.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$336 R 5,632

9.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$958 R 16.1K

-13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$627 R 10.5K

14.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$613 R 10.3K

376.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$614 R 10.3K

129.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,486 R 24.9K

-63.28%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mossel Bay: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $463 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 172% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $192 – 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 Mossel Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,491 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mossel Bay, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.