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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $955 in Tamarin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,638 in Tamarin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,321 in Tamarin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 76% more than Tamarin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tamarin is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$5.74 MUR 273

39.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$38.06 MUR 1,808

25.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.15 MUR 340

38.32%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.62 MUR 125

19.47%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.15 MUR 54.4

66.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.66 MUR 31.15

128.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.72 MUR 129

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.74 MUR 82.8

230.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.49 MUR 70.6

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.20 MUR 9.50

1145.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.16 MUR 55.2

52.59%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.41 MUR 114

22.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$3.88 MUR 185

159.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.20 MUR 295

63.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$11.24 MUR 534

27.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.23 MUR 106

85.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.19 MUR 104

-26.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.46 MUR 69.2

54.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.92 MUR 139

-22.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.95 MUR 45.19

114.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.01 MUR 47.97

52.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.74 MUR 35.23

58.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.83 MUR 39.54

57.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$6.13 MUR 291

-36.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$8.33 MUR 396

68.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.62 MUR 77.0

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.87 MUR 88.9

53.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.83 MUR 39.33

46.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$4.27 MUR 203

-69.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.20 MUR 152

-31.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.40 MUR 304

36.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.33 MUR 62.9

3.01%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.7K MUR 1.4M

-6.16%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$31.7K MUR 1.5M

12.83%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$45.05 MUR 2,140

293.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.74 MUR 510

29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$28.92 MUR 1,374

2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$42.04 MUR 1,997

6.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.42 MUR 305

3.58%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$130 MUR 6,157

527.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$3,114 MUR 147.9K

195.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$55.9 MUR 2,657

60.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$45.81 MUR 2,176

28.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$85.6 MUR 4,065

61.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$59.1 MUR 2,805

72.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$754 MUR 35.8K

40.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$368 MUR 17.5K

79.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,400 MUR 66.5K

34.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$907 MUR 43.1K

13.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$844 MUR 40.1K

-19.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tamarin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $754 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 25% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Tamarin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $199 – making Tamarin 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 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,432 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Tamarin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tamarin, where all-in costs run around $955, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.