Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Terre Rouge Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Terre Rouge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,599 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,235 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Medellin costs about 4% more than Terre Rouge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Terre Rouge are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Terre Rouge 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$6.52 MUR 308

-9.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$43.42 MUR 2,050

-24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.53 MUR 308

13.78%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.60 MUR 123

-36.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.95 MUR 44.71

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.55 MUR 26.13

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$2.07 MUR 97.9

-16.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.80 MUR 132

13.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.49 MUR 70.5

-26.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.65 MUR 30.75

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.29 MUR 60.7

6.98%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.36 MUR 111

-7.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$9.67 MUR 457

-53.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$6.24 MUR 294

-7.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.51 MUR 496

-14.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.96 MUR 92.7

18.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$2.00 MUR 94.6

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.44 MUR 67.8

5.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$2.70 MUR 127

-49.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.02 MUR 48.30

10.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.95 MUR 44.79

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.83 MUR 39.33

8.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.53 MUR 24.97

69.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$6.15 MUR 290

-63.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.37 MUR 395

44.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.72 MUR 81.1

-30.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.11 MUR 99.7

17.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$1.00 MUR 47.08

-15.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$4.28 MUR 202

-66.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$2.69 MUR 127

-27.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$15.24 MUR 720

-48.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.46 MUR 69.2

-32.19%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$36.0K MUR 1.7M

-51.13%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

-5.85%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$48.79 MUR 2,304

70.14%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$18.53 MUR 875

-47.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$32.11 MUR 1,516

-26.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$38.47 MUR 1,816

-34.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.02 MUR 285

-34.39%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$154 MUR 7,252

105.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$3,941 MUR 186.1K

51.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$49.76 MUR 2,350

20.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$44.60 MUR 2,106

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$82.0 MUR 3,872

23.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$78.6 MUR 3,709

36.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$508 MUR 24.0K

-6.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$358 MUR 16.9K

4.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$964 MUR 45.5K

-11.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$734 MUR 34.7K

-2.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.25

114.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $508 in Terre Rouge. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Terre Rouge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $213 – 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 Terre Rouge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,444 in Terre Rouge. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Terre Rouge, 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 $43.00 in Terre Rouge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Terre Rouge, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Terre Rouge it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Terre Rouge – 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 Terre Rouge. 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.