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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $773 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,192 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,611 in Temara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 112% more than Temara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Temara is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.22 MAD 39.64

90.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.7K

$31.47 MAD 296

53.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.54 MAD 61.5

44.04%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,045

$1.90 MAD 17.85

54.74%

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

$1.86 COP 5,738

$0.64 MAD 6.00

190.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,481

$0.37 MAD 3.49

294.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,887

$5.19 MAD 48.80

-38.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.24 MAD 30.42

76.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,431

$0.93 MAD 8.75

54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,393

$0.85 MAD 7.97

182.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,230

$1.62 MAD 15.24

4.94%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,901

$2.06 MAD 19.37

40.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.0K

$9.68 MAD 91.0

3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.52 MAD 51.9

80.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.89 MAD 112

19.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.62 MAD 15.21

145.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,880

$1.41 MAD 13.23

12.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,627

$0.91 MAD 8.54

136.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,082

$0.92 MAD 8.61

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,172

$0.74 MAD 6.97

170.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,648

$0.85 MAD 7.97

77.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,703

$0.28 MAD 2.65

328.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,948

$0.60 MAD 5.61

113.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$4.17 MAD 39.20

-7.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$7.70 MAD 72.4

81.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,259

$2.30 MAD 21.65

-25.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,444

$2.66 MAD 25.04

3.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,836

$0.55 MAD 5.16

127.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

$25.43 MAD 239

206.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,018

$0.81 MAD 7.60

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,684

$0.95 MAD 8.90

128.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.31 MAD 40.49

92.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,174

$1.58 MAD 14.85

-13.92%

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

$27.5K COP 84.6M

$34.9K MAD 328.2K

-21.33%

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

$36.5K COP 112.5M

$31.5K MAD 295.9K

16.05%

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

$169 COP 519.5K

$36.22 MAD 340

365.82%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.37 MAD 97.4

30.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$37.81 MAD 355

-25.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.8K

$24.32 MAD 229

87.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$5.47 MAD 51.4

214.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$6.30 MAD 59.2

5.56%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$119 MAD 1,118

575.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,071 MAD 66.4K

29.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.0K

$32.67 MAD 307

167.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.8K

$45.97 MAD 432

29.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.7K

$86.9 MAD 817

59.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

$83.4 MAD 784

22.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$263 MAD 2,467

307.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$205 MAD 1,931

217.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$420 MAD 3,949

358.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$320 MAD 3,012

226.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,267 MAD 11.9K

225.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$975 MAD 9,165

74.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$245 MAD 2,298

167.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.5

212.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Temara: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $263 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 168% 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 $31.00 in Temara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $194 – making Temara 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 112%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,160 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $31.00 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 $1,641 in Medellin and $773 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 $773, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.