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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $861 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,336 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,811 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Quatre Bornes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Quatre Bornes 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.92 MUR 184

51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.91 MUR 1,032

52.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.61 MUR 264

28.88%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.54 MUR 120

-35.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.80 MUR 37.66

36.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.34 MUR 16.12

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.21 MUR 104

-21.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.32 MUR 156

-2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.36 MUR 63.9

-22.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 MUR 26.44

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.34 MUR 62.9

-1.49%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.05 MUR 96.5

10.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.15 MUR 148

38.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.90 MUR 184

50.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.83 MUR 416

-2.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.73 MUR 81.4

30.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.73 MUR 81.7

-38.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.50 MUR 70.8

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.71 MUR 128

-47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.02 MUR 48.14

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.93 MUR 43.71

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.78 MUR 36.79

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.82 MUR 38.45

9.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.02 MUR 283

-62.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.45 MUR 398

30.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.85 MUR 40.10

34.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.39 MUR 65.4

71.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.78 MUR 36.74

7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.42 MUR 208

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.60 MUR 122

-26.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.90 MUR 937

-61.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.47 MUR 69.2

-31.29%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.0K MUR 943.3K

-12.24%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.0K MUR 1.4M

-8.50%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$43.37 MUR 2,042

92.94%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.20 MUR 527

-15.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$31.92 MUR 1,503

-24.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$29.98 MUR 1,412

-15.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$8.95 MUR 422

113.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.93 MUR 279

-30.86%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$123 MUR 5,788

153.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,974 MUR 187.1K

50.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$86.6 MUR 4,079

-32.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$79.0 MUR 3,719

-58.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$134 MUR 6,328

-25.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$94.3 MUR 4,443

15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$358 MUR 16.9K

34.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$262 MUR 12.3K

45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$584 MUR 27.5K

43.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$507 MUR 23.9K

42.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,119 MUR 52.7K

153.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$519 MUR 24.5K

4.14%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $358 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 4% 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: $190 vs $169 – 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 18%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,292 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 13% 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 $861, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.