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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $996 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,594 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,193 in Terre Rouge, rent included.

Medellin costs about 2% more than Terre Rouge, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Terre Rouge are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Terre Rouge 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.66 MUR 314

-10.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$43.97 MUR 2,070

-24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.55 MUR 308

10.38%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.59 MUR 122

-37.07%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.04 MUR 48.84

4.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.59 MUR 27.90

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.14 MUR 101

-18.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.76 MUR 130

17.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.46 MUR 68.7

-28.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.66 MUR 31.20

95.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.29 MUR 60.5

2.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.31 MUR 109

-1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.96 MUR 469

-56.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.08 MUR 286

-3.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.49 MUR 494

-17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.07 MUR 97.4

8.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.90 MUR 89.3

-43.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.49 MUR 70.0

2.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.73 MUR 129

-47.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.98 MUR 46.24

19.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.94 MUR 44.07

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.85 MUR 39.88

4.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 MUR 26.83

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.98 MUR 282

-62.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.38 MUR 442

17.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.80 MUR 84.9

-36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.12 MUR 99.6

12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.04 MUR 48.75

-19.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$4.42 MUR 208

-68.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$2.71 MUR 128

-29.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$15.63 MUR 736

-50.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.44 MUR 68.0

-29.86%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-50.61%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

-9.82%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$50.3 MUR 2,371

66.23%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$18.51 MUR 872

-48.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$32.06 MUR 1,510

-24.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$37.89 MUR 1,784

-33.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.88 MUR 277

-30.27%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$153 MUR 7,191

104.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,948 MUR 185.9K

51.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$51.3 MUR 2,415

13.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$43.34 MUR 2,041

-24.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$83.4 MUR 3,927

19.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$77.3 MUR 3,640

40.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$513 MUR 24.2K

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$347 MUR 16.3K

9.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$945 MUR 44.5K

-11.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$715 MUR 33.6K

1.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Terre Rouge: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $513 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 $216 – 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 2%, 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 $1,494 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 14% 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 $996, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.