Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Temara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Temara

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $815 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,278 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,741 in Temara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Temara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Temara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Temara 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.5K

$4.63 MAD 42.85

27.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 119.1K

$32.94 MAD 305

-0.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.2K

$6.82 MAD 63.1

5.57%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,186

$2.59 MAD 23.94

-34.36%

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

$1.10 COP 3,996

$0.64 MAD 5.96

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,625

$0.41 MAD 3.78

75.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

$5.44 MAD 50.3

-69.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

$4.07 MAD 37.64

-23.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,837

$0.88 MAD 8.12

20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,531

$0.55 MAD 5.06

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,060

$1.85 MAD 17.11

-24.86%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,229

$2.00 MAD 18.47

13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.8K

$12.56 MAD 116

-65.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.2K

$6.10 MAD 56.4

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 32.1K

$11.07 MAD 102

-20.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,159

$1.50 MAD 13.87

49.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,911

$1.38 MAD 12.77

-21.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,563

$0.81 MAD 7.54

88.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,987

$0.83 MAD 7.70

65.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,109

$0.79 MAD 7.28

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,067

$0.76 MAD 7.01

47.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

$0.43 MAD 3.98

97.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,305

$0.62 MAD 5.76

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

$4.20 MAD 38.89

-44.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

$7.95 MAD 73.6

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

$2.74 MAD 25.30

-56.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

$2.45 MAD 22.70

-3.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,859

$0.53 MAD 4.86

49.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

$16.92 MAD 157

143.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,223

$0.91 MAD 8.44

58.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,952

$0.78 MAD 7.17

144.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 29.2K

$4.48 MAD 41.42

79.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,410

$1.54 MAD 14.22

-38.96%

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

$17.9K COP 65.2M

$37.2K MAD 344.0K

-51.81%

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

$26.8K COP 97.4M

$29.6K MAD 273.8K

-9.50%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

$38.69 MAD 358

117.01%

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

$9.60 COP 34.9K

$11.09 MAD 103

-13.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.9K

$40.94 MAD 379

-40.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

$24.10 MAD 223

7.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

$5.59 MAD 51.7

240.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

$6.73 MAD 62.2

-41.75%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$136 MAD 1,256

125.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

$2,357 MAD 21.8K

151.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 210.6K

$42.55 MAD 394

36.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 115.7K

$49.64 MAD 459

-35.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 363.3K

$108 MAD 1,000

-7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 389.7K

$105 MAD 970

2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$399 MAD 3,694

21.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$212 MAD 1,959

73.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$668 MAD 6,182

23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$335 MAD 3,096

113.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,261 MAD 11.7K

131.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$915 MAD 8,463

53.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$343 MAD 3,176

58.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.75

182.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Temara: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $399 in Temara. 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 59% 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 $33.00 in Temara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $202 – 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 Temara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,222 in Temara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Temara, 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 $33.00 in Temara. 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 $815 in Temara. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Temara, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Temara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Temara – 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 Temara. 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.