Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vacoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vacoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $756 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Vacoas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 117% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Vacoas is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$5.74 MUR 269

40.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$32.05 MUR 1,500

50.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.29 MUR 294

49.76%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.72 MUR 127

8.09%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.14 MUR 53.5

63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.61 MUR 28.50

139.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.71 MUR 127

18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.71 MUR 174

53.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.40 MUR 65.7

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.70 MUR 32.68

242.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.11 MUR 51.9

53.15%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.33 MUR 109

24.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$2.62 MUR 123

283.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.53 MUR 118

294.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$11.25 MUR 526

26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.57 MUR 120

54.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.21 MUR 104

-28.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.41 MUR 65.9

52.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.05 MUR 143

-24.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.93 MUR 43.68

115.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.95 MUR 44.41

58.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.73 MUR 34.36

64.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.68 MUR 31.59

88.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.51 MUR 305

-41.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$6.45 MUR 302

117.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.43 MUR 67.0

19.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.39 MUR 112

14.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.35 MUR 63.3

-7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$4.37 MUR 204

-70.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.24 MUR 152

-33.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.14 MUR 194

100.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.32 MUR 62.0

3.03%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$29.3K MUR 1.4M

-6.18%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$30.7K MUR 1.4M

18.98%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$45.36 MUR 2,123

271.96%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.40 MUR 487

30.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$24.68 MUR 1,155

14.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$34.85 MUR 1,631

31.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$5.47 MUR 256

21.57%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$130 MUR 6,064

520.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$7,616 MUR 356.4K

20.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$32.01 MUR 1,498

172.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$38.73 MUR 1,813

53.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$62.4 MUR 2,921

122.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$47.55 MUR 2,226

114.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$266 MUR 12.4K

302.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$218 MUR 10.2K

198.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$485 MUR 22.7K

297.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$236 MUR 11.0K

344.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$682 MUR 31.9K

-3.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.67

64.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $266 in Vacoas. 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 4% higher in Vacoas, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Vacoas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $177 – making Vacoas 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 Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,134 in Vacoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vacoas, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Vacoas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 70% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vacoas, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Vacoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vacoas – 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 Vacoas. 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.