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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $818 in Temara, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Temara, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,730 in Temara, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Temara, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Temara are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Temara 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.57 MAD 42.25

30.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$32.33 MAD 299

3.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.56 MAD 60.7

10.21%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.51 MAD 23.19

-35.06%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 MAD 5.92

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.37 MAD 3.43

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$5.37 MAD 49.65

-67.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.02 MAD 37.15

-19.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.86 MAD 7.98

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.54 MAD 5.04

138.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.75 MAD 16.19

-24.57%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.09 MAD 19.34

8.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$12.81 MAD 119

-66.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.02 MAD 55.7

-2.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.04 MAD 102

-22.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.51 MAD 13.97

49.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.38 MAD 12.74

-22.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.82 MAD 7.62

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.89 MAD 8.23

59.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.74 MAD 6.89

58.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.74 MAD 6.82

58.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.39 MAD 3.61

128.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.64 MAD 5.91

40.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.28 MAD 39.55

-47.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.98 MAD 73.8

38.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.74 MAD 25.34

-58.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.47 MAD 22.83

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.57 MAD 5.29

47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$16.68 MAD 154

151.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.91 MAD 8.39

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.78 MAD 7.24

143.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.28 MAD 39.59

81.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.51 MAD 14.01

-33.11%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$36.7K MAD 339.4K

-52.08%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$30.0K MAD 277.4K

-11.64%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$38.51 MAD 356

117.29%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.68 MAD 98.8

-11.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$39.36 MAD 364

-38.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.62 MAD 219

7.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$5.51 MAD 51.0

247.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.48 MAD 59.9

-36.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$134 MAD 1,242

132.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,339 MAD 21.6K

156.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$43.41 MAD 402

33.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$49.40 MAD 457

-34.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$107 MAD 991

-7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$103 MAD 954

5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$404 MAD 3,740

19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$211 MAD 1,956

79.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$685 MAD 6,336

22.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$335 MAD 3,098

115.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,238 MAD 11.5K

129.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$917 MAD 8,487

33.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$243 MAD 2,250

122.35%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Temara: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $404 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 122% 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 $32.00 in Temara. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $202 in Temara – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 24%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,227 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 $32.00 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $818 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 $818, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.