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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $624 in Tema, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Tema, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,365 in Tema, rent included.

Medellin costs about 65% more than Tema, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Tema are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Tema 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.19 GHS 82.9

-14.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.76 GHS 320

17.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.82 GHS 90.2

-6.14%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.46 GHS 16.82

17.81%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.04 GHS 12.04

0.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.31 GHS 3.56

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.74 GHS 20.02

-2.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.67 GHS 30.78

18.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.05 GHS 35.22

-65.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.62 GHS 18.65

-19.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.56 GHS 18.05

-10.26%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.19 GHS 25.22

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.66 GHS 42.26

19.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.64 GHS 30.43

122.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$2.41 GHS 27.80

258.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.83 GHS 32.65

-19.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.02 GHS 23.36

-45.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.09 GHS 24.11

-26.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.86 GHS 32.95

-52.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.82 GHS 20.97

-37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.99 GHS 22.91

-43.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.64 GHS 7.38

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.88 GHS 10.12

3.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.04 GHS 81.3

75.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.88 GHS 10.10

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$2.10 GHS 24.26

-60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.03 GHS 462

1.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.36 GHS 15.75

4.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.76 GHS 8.75

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.20 GHS 13.80

-17.50%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$31.32 GHS 361

158.01%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.42 GHS 143

-19.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$64.6 GHS 745

-62.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$19.29 GHS 223

30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$83.0 GHS 957

267.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$24.46 GHS 282

137.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.21 GHS 279

33.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$45.56 GHS 526

121.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$61.8 GHS 713

74.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$118 GHS 1,363

303.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$65.8 GHS 760

471.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$136 GHS 1,573

435.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$9,960 GHS 114.9K

-67.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

-77.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$414 GHS 4,773

49.13%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $118 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 49% 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: $193 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 65%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $937 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $624 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 $624, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.