Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Phoenix Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Phoenix

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,021 in Phoenix, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,545 in Phoenix, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,069 in Phoenix, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Phoenix, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Phoenix are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Phoenix 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.63 MUR 310

-10.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$44.74 MUR 2,094

-26.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.56 MUR 307

9.76%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.67 MUR 125

-36.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.02 MUR 47.66

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.60 MUR 27.86

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.13 MUR 99.6

-21.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.80 MUR 131

10.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.45 MUR 67.9

-26.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.65 MUR 30.61

92.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.28 MUR 59.7

8.59%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.31 MUR 108

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.01 MUR 468

-56.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.21 MUR 290

-5.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.49 MUR 491

-15.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.06 MUR 96.5

8.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.98 MUR 92.7

-45.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.43 MUR 66.9

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.64 MUR 123

-48.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.98 MUR 46.02

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.98 MUR 46.03

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.79 MUR 36.93

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.53 MUR 24.85

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$5.98 MUR 280

-61.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.68 MUR 406

28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.71 MUR 79.9

-30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.09 MUR 98.0

13.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.99 MUR 46.43

-20.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.35 MUR 204

-66.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.74 MUR 128

-30.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.58 MUR 729

-48.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.52 MUR 71.2

-38.16%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-49.66%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-8.74%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$49.77 MUR 2,329

68.70%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.07 MUR 846

-46.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$32.07 MUR 1,500

-24.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.91 MUR 1,820

-33.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.96 MUR 279

-34.23%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$156 MUR 7,292

96.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,955 MUR 185.0K

49.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.82 MUR 2,331

16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$43.42 MUR 2,032

-26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$82.0 MUR 3,837

21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$77.3 MUR 3,615

38.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$548 MUR 25.7K

-11.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$384 MUR 17.9K

-4.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$865 MUR 40.5K

-4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$597 MUR 27.9K

19.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$683 MUR 32.0K

-20.14%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phoenix: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $548 in Phoenix. 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 25% higher in Phoenix, 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 Phoenix. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $214 – 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 Phoenix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,532 in Phoenix. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% 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 Phoenix, where all-in costs run around $1,021, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Phoenix it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phoenix – 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 Phoenix. 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.