Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tamarin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tamarin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $986 in Tamarin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,676 in Tamarin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,366 in Tamarin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.48 MUR 303

-8.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$42.52 MUR 1,989

-22.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.44 MUR 255

32.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.54 MUR 119

-33.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.92 MUR 43.19

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.55 MUR 25.79

30.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.69 MUR 79.2

-1.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.80 MUR 84.3

72.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.49 MUR 69.8

-28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.37 MUR 17.13

237.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.26 MUR 59.0

10.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.14 MUR 100

5.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.59 MUR 262

-22.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.04 MUR 282

-3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.06 MUR 471

-12.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.99 MUR 93.2

12.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.02 MUR 94.7

-46.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.43 MUR 66.9

6.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.70 MUR 126

-49.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.01 MUR 47.48

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.00 MUR 46.96

12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.80 MUR 37.32

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.74 MUR 34.77

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.41 MUR 300

-63.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.81 MUR 412

26.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.74 MUR 81.6

-31.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.70 MUR 79.4

39.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.12 MUR 52.2

-29.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$11.13 MUR 521

269.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.32 MUR 202

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.62 MUR 123

-27.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$6.73 MUR 315

19.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.25 MUR 58.6

-24.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.9K MUR 1.4M

-37.89%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.4K MUR 1.3M

-2.27%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$48.56 MUR 2,272

72.90%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$16.37 MUR 766

-41.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$30.26 MUR 1,416

-20.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$49.33 MUR 2,308

-47.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$10.95 MUR 512

73.88%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.02 MUR 282

-34.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$150 MUR 7,004

104.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,109 MUR 145.5K

90.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$58.1 MUR 2,716

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$47.77 MUR 2,235

-33.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$86.8 MUR 4,061

15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$58.1 MUR 2,717

84.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$756 MUR 35.3K

-35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$386 MUR 18.1K

-4.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,426 MUR 66.7K

-42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$921 MUR 43.1K

-22.26%

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

$861 MUR 40.3K

-36.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Tamarin: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $756 in Tamarin. 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 58% higher in Tamarin, 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 $43.00 in Tamarin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $198 – 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 Tamarin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,480 in Tamarin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tamarin, 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 $43.00 in Tamarin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $986 in Tamarin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $986, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Tamarin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tamarin – 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 Tamarin. 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.