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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $757 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,192 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,627 in Tema, rent included.

Medellin costs about 122% more than Tema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Tema is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$7.16 GHS 82.2

12.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$28.16 GHS 323

69.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$5.35 GHS 61.4

-41.50%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.86 GHS 9.84

122.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.30 GHS 3.49

403.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.30 GHS 37.92

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.62 GHS 30.08

119.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$3.25 GHS 37.28

-55.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.63 GHS 18.75

52.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.10 GHS 24.07

-15.71%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.28 GHS 26.18

29.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$4.46 GHS 51.2

125.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.18 GHS 36.53

218.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$3.41 GHS 39.14

319.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.64 GHS 30.32

56.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.24 GHS 25.76

-28.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.19 GHS 25.18

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.57 GHS 41.02

-36.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.56 GHS 40.89

-42.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$2.91 GHS 33.44

-47.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.46 GHS 5.26

154.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.72 GHS 8.22

81.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.28 GHS 14.75

204.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.84 GHS 101

58.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.14 GHS 24.52

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.99 GHS 34.33

-4.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.75 GHS 20.13

-30.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$42.05 GHS 483

91.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.19 GHS 25.19

-40.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.46 GHS 5.26

376.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.15 GHS 13.20

19.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$77.3 GHS 887

129.37%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$15.28 GHS 175

-9.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$84.0 GHS 964

-64.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$24.06 GHS 276

86.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.89 GHS 102

-25.20%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$177 GHS 2,031

359.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,608 GHS 29.9K

252.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$13.20 GHS 152

577.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$15.86 GHS 182

271.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$44.09 GHS 506

213.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$32.67 GHS 375

212.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$130 GHS 1,493

716.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$72.8 GHS 836

810.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$428 GHS 4,917

340.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$218 GHS 2,501

371.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$9,958 GHS 114.3K

-57.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$5,932 GHS 68.1K

-71.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$430 GHS 4,935

57.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-68.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tema: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $130 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 58% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Tema. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $220 – 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 122%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,135 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 $48.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $757 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 $757, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.