Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Terni Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Terni

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,348 in Terni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $2,048 in Terni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,748 in Terni, rent included.

Medellin is about 24% cheaper than Terni, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% below the global median, while Terni is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.16 COP 20.1K
$17.45 €15.28
-64.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.60 COP 106.1K
$49.82 €43.63
-34.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.34 COP 23.9K
$9.56 €8.37
-23.22%
Cappuccino
$1.72 COP 5,599
$1.86 €1.63
-7.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.05 COP 3,420
$2.69 €2.35
-60.97%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 COP 2,515
$1.35 €1.18
-42.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.69 COP 5,487
$5.07 €4.44
-66.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.17 COP 10.3K
$5.29 €4.64
-40.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COP 3,423
$1.25 €1.10
-16.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.30 COP 4,236
$2.20 €1.93
-40.91%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.40 COP 4,544
$2.34 €2.05
-40.17%
Eggs
$2.16 COP 7,046
$3.42 €2.99
-36.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.39 COP 14.3K
$13.65 €11.96
-67.84%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COP 19.1K
$9.16 €8.02
-35.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.64 COP 28.1K
$13.84 €12.12
-37.57%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 COP 7,425
$2.15 €1.88
6.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.11 COP 3,603
$1.88 €1.64
-40.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,982
$1.19 €1.05
28.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.35 COP 4,410
$2.28 €2.00
-40.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,674
$1.58 €1.38
-28.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 COP 3,692
$1.71 €1.50
-33.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 2,753
$0.79 €0.69
7.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 2,975
$0.41 €0.36
121.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.34 COP 7,629
$6.40 €5.60
-63.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.37 COP 40.3K
$7.38 €6.46
67.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 COP 3,909
$1.35 €1.18
-11.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49 COP 8,104
$1.64 €1.44
51.83%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Terni
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COP 2,727
$1.64 €1.44
-48.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.57 COP 132.1K
$34.99 €30.64
15.95%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.42 COP 4,623
$4.97 €4.35
-71.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.92 COP 6,235
$1.30 €1.14
47.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.66 COP 24.9K
$25.75 €22.56
-70.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.99 COP 3,223
$2.07 €1.82
-52.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.0K COP 58.7M
$33.6K €29.4K
-46.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K COP 86.7M
$34.1K €29.8K
-21.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 COP 263.1K
$176 €154
-54.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.95 COP 32.4K
$13.63 €11.93
-27.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.18 COP 78.7K
$31.05 €27.19
-22.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.08 COP 81.6K
$51.8 €45.35
-51.56%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.15 COP 62.3K
$16.49 €14.44
16.13%
Cinema Ticket
$3.98 COP 13.0K
$10.62 €9.30
-62.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 COP 993.4K
$341 €298
-10.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,059 COP 19.7M
$5,886 €5,155
2.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 COP 189.2K
$64.7 €56.7
-10.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.20 COP 104.8K
$35.76 €31.32
-9.96%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 COP 327.9K
$91.1 €79.8
10.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 COP 350.8K
$88.7 €77.7
21.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Terni
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$477 COP 1.6M
$343 €301
38.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$376 COP 1.2M
$341 €299
10.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$845 COP 2.7M
$757 €663
11.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$730 COP 2.4M
$559 €489
30.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,215 COP 10.5M
$1,381 €1,209
132.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,372 COP 4.5M
$788 €690
74.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Terni
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$617 COP 2.0M
$1,498 €1,312
-58.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
3.69
263.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Terni: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $343 in Terni. 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 143% higher in Terni, 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 $50.0 in Terni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $265 – 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 Terni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Terni cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Terni is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $2,022 in Terni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Terni?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Terni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Terni?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,348 in Terni. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Terni?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Terni at $1,348. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Terni it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Terni more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Terni makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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