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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $860 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,336 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,813 in Quatre Bornes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Quatre Bornes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Quatre Bornes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Quatre Bornes 36% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COP 21.5K
$3.96 MUR 185
49.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75 COP 119.1K
$21.85 MUR 1,022
49.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 COP 26.2K
$5.51 MUR 258
30.67%
Cappuccino
$1.70 COP 6,186
$2.47 MUR 115
-31.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COP 3,996
$0.75 MUR 35.02
46.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COP 2,625
$0.32 MUR 14.82
125.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 COP 6,067
$2.15 MUR 101
-22.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 COP 11.3K
$3.26 MUR 152
-4.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COP 3,837
$1.35 MUR 63.3
-21.48%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 COP 4,531
$0.56 MUR 26.26
123.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 COP 5,060
$1.27 MUR 59.6
9.45%
Eggs
$2.26 COP 8,229
$2.11 MUR 98.5
7.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 COP 15.8K
$3.13 MUR 146
38.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.84 COP 21.2K
$4.02 MUR 188
45.27%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 COP 32.1K
$8.71 MUR 407
1.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 COP 8,159
$1.74 MUR 81.2
28.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 COP 3,911
$1.79 MUR 83.6
-39.66%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 5,563
$1.43 MUR 66.7
6.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,987
$2.63 MUR 123
-47.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 4,109
$0.96 MUR 44.69
17.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COP 4,067
$1.01 MUR 47.07
10.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 3,080
$0.84 MUR 39.18
1.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 3,305
$0.75 MUR 35.14
21.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 COP 8,477
$6.03 MUR 282
-61.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 COP 40.5K
$8.64 MUR 404
28.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COP 4,342
$0.85 MUR 39.51
40.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 8,617
$1.47 MUR 68.7
61.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,859
$0.76 MUR 35.42
3.95%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.13 COP 149.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COP 5,223
$4.31 MUR 201
-66.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COP 6,952
$2.61 MUR 122
-26.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 COP 29.2K
$19.55 MUR 914
-58.98%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 COP 3,410
$1.40 MUR 65.6
-32.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K COP 65.2M
$19.6K MUR 915.9K
-8.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COP 97.4M
$29.1K MUR 1.4M
-7.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 COP 305.4K
$43.75 MUR 2,045
91.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60 COP 34.9K
$10.82 MUR 506
-11.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16 COP 87.9K
$31.70 MUR 1,482
-23.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.88 COP 94.1K
$29.16 MUR 1,363
-11.25%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 COP 69.3K
$9.00 MUR 421
111.56%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 COP 14.2K
$6.11 MUR 285
-35.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 COP 1.1M
$126 MUR 5,873
143.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,919 COP 21.5M
$3,986 MUR 186.4K
48.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 COP 210.6K
$84.8 MUR 3,963
-31.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COP 115.7K
$80.4 MUR 3,758
-60.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 COP 363.3K
$131 MUR 6,122
-23.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COP 389.7K
$96.4 MUR 4,507
11.14%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 COP 1.8M
$354 MUR 16.6K
37.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 COP 1.3M
$262 MUR 12.2K
40.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 COP 3.0M
$596 MUR 27.9K
38.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COP 2.6M
$513 MUR 24.0K
39.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,925 COP 10.6M
$1,149 MUR 53.7K
154.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,407 COP 5.1M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Quatre Bornes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$546 COP 2.0M
$520 MUR 24.3K
4.82%
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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Quatre Bornes: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $354 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 5% 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 $168 – 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
Is Quatre Bornes cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,290 in Quatre Bornes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Quatre Bornes?
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.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Quatre Bornes?
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.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for Medellin or Quatre Bornes?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Quatre Bornes, where all-in costs run around $860, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Quatre Bornes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Quatre Bornes more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Quatre Bornes?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

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