Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quatre Bornes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Quatre Bornes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $874 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,348 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,823 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Quatre Bornes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Quatre Bornes 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.95 MUR 185

49.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$22.29 MUR 1,044

47.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.53 MUR 259

34.36%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.47 MUR 116

-33.20%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.76 MUR 35.37

44.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.32 MUR 14.83

143.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.21 MUR 104

-22.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.36 MUR 157

-5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.29 MUR 60.3

-14.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.51 MUR 24.08

147.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.27 MUR 59.3

8.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.10 MUR 98.4

3.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.06 MUR 143

46.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.88 MUR 182

49.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.69 MUR 407

3.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.80 MUR 84.1

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.72 MUR 80.4

-38.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.48 MUR 69.4

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.71 MUR 127

-49.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.94 MUR 44.06

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.99 MUR 46.55

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.86 MUR 40.13

4.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.76 MUR 35.64

18.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$6.17 MUR 289

-63.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.65 MUR 405

40.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.85 MUR 39.72

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.44 MUR 67.6

72.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.74 MUR 34.57

14.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.27 MUR 200

-66.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$2.71 MUR 127

-28.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$19.58 MUR 917

-59.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.45 MUR 68.1

-31.72%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.1K MUR 943.5K

-12.61%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.2K MUR 1.3M

-4.97%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$44.68 MUR 2,093

85.79%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$11.13 MUR 521

-12.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$31.34 MUR 1,468

-24.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.28 MUR 1,418

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$8.96 MUR 420

113.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.11 MUR 286

-35.35%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$128 MUR 5,974

147.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,973 MUR 186.1K

50.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$84.2 MUR 3,943

-28.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$80.1 MUR 3,751

-60.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$132 MUR 6,193

-23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$95.3 MUR 4,463

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$348 MUR 16.3K

36.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$260 MUR 12.2K

43.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$595 MUR 27.9K

42.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$515 MUR 24.1K

39.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,143 MUR 53.5K

185.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$521 MUR 24.4K

19.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $348 in Quatre Bornes. 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 20% 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 $22.00 in Quatre Bornes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $167 – making Quatre Bornes 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 Quatre Bornes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,311 in Quatre Bornes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quatre Bornes, 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 $22.00 in Quatre Bornes. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 Quatre Bornes, where all-in costs run around $874, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Quatre Bornes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quatre Bornes – 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 Quatre Bornes. 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.