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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $983 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,613 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,243 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Terre Rouge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Terre Rouge are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Terre Rouge 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.61 MUR 309

-10.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$43.97 MUR 2,058

-25.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.65 MUR 311

8.27%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.54 MUR 119

-33.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.03 MUR 48.28

6.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.56 MUR 26.29

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$2.09 MUR 98.0

-20.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.76 MUR 129

12.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.49 MUR 69.7

-28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.66 MUR 30.83

89.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.28 MUR 59.9

8.59%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.24 MUR 105

0.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.63 MUR 450

-55.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.04 MUR 283

-3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.42 MUR 487

-15.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.98 MUR 92.5

13.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.90 MUR 88.8

-43.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.44 MUR 67.2

6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.61 MUR 122

-47.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.01 MUR 47.48

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.99 MUR 46.44

13.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.81 MUR 37.79

4.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.53 MUR 24.67

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.00 MUR 281

-61.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.96 MUR 419

24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.80 MUR 84.3

-33.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.15 MUR 101

10.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.04 MUR 48.59

-24.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$4.32 MUR 202

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$2.72 MUR 127

-29.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.11 MUR 707

-46.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.46 MUR 68.1

-35.62%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-49.62%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-8.35%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$49.62 MUR 2,322

69.21%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$18.40 MUR 861

-47.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$32.79 MUR 1,534

-26.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$38.87 MUR 1,819

-33.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.02 MUR 281

-34.88%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$151 MUR 7,073

102.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,961 MUR 185.3K

49.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$51.3 MUR 2,398

13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$43.69 MUR 2,044

-27.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$83.2 MUR 3,891

20.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$79.6 MUR 3,725

34.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$520 MUR 24.3K

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$346 MUR 16.2K

6.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$939 MUR 43.9K

-12.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$730 MUR 34.1K

-1.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $520 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 $44.00 in Terre Rouge. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $212 – 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 5%, 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 $1,475 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 $44.00 in Terre Rouge. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% 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 $983, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.