Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tema Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Tema

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $611 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $989 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,367 in Tema, rent included.

Medellin costs about 66% more than Tema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Tema 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.50 GHS 88.0

-20.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.73 GHS 326

18.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.18 GHS 96.0

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.46 GHS 17.14

17.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.00 GHS 11.78

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.33 GHS 3.93

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.74 GHS 20.38

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.69 GHS 31.63

14.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$2.98 GHS 34.94

-63.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.68 GHS 19.69

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.55 GHS 18.22

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.18 GHS 25.64

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.72 GHS 43.73

18.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.73 GHS 32.08

106.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$2.44 GHS 28.63

264.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.71 GHS 31.76

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.08 GHS 24.38

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$2.07 GHS 24.27

-27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.89 GHS 33.97

-52.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.84 GHS 21.60

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.97 GHS 23.15

-41.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.61 GHS 7.16

45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.82 GHS 9.63

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.21 GHS 84.7

47.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.82 GHS 9.66

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$2.03 GHS 23.87

-57.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$39.80 GHS 467

4.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.42 GHS 16.64

3.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.77 GHS 9.00

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.19 GHS 13.98

-20.17%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$30.84 GHS 362

166.70%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$12.26 GHS 144

-22.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$64.6 GHS 759

-62.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$19.37 GHS 227

33.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$82.4 GHS 967

275.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$25.07 GHS 294

133.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.67 GHS 290

31.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$45.82 GHS 538

123.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$60.6 GHS 712

78.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$117 GHS 1,371

307.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$66.6 GHS 782

468.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$139 GHS 1,629

421.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

-72.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

-79.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$390 GHS 4,576

31.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

32.5

-58.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Tema: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $117 in Tema. 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 31% 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 $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $183 – making Tema 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 Tema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 66%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $916 in Tema. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 $28.00 in Tema. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $611 in Tema. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $611, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tema. 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.