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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $724 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,490 in Vacoas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Vacoas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Vacoas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.58 MUR 309

-6.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.98 MUR 1,549

-1.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.98 MUR 234

47.39%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.58 MUR 121

-33.33%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.97 MUR 45.61

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.60 MUR 28.01

28.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.26 MUR 106

-25.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.99 MUR 93.5

59.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.34 MUR 62.8

-21.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.66 MUR 30.79

96.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.26 MUR 59.3

11.11%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.10 MUR 98.6

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.83 MUR 133

55.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.92 MUR 137

101.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.44 MUR 255

58.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.99 MUR 93.5

14.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.01 MUR 94.4

-44.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.45 MUR 68.2

5.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.72 MUR 128

-50.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.98 MUR 46.23

15.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.01 MUR 47.21

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.80 MUR 37.62

6.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 MUR 35.28

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.80 MUR 272

-59.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.48 MUR 304

90.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.46 MUR 68.7

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.22 MUR 104

12.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.94 MUR 44.34

-10.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.30 MUR 202

-66.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.66 MUR 125

-27.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.53 MUR 213

69.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.40 MUR 65.8

-29.29%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.9K MUR 1.3M

-32.96%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

-5.79%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$49.42 MUR 2,321

63.52%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.04 MUR 519

-9.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$25.44 MUR 1,195

-4.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$26.11 MUR 1,226

-3.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.46 MUR 256

-27.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$157 MUR 7,377

94.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,037 MUR 189.6K

50.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$29.83 MUR 1,401

94.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.57 MUR 1,342

12.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$66.6 MUR 3,130

51.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$59.5 MUR 2,793

81.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$262 MUR 12.3K

82.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$235 MUR 11.0K

59.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$520 MUR 24.4K

62.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$326 MUR 15.3K

124.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$697 MUR 32.7K

-11.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.25

216.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $262 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 13% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Vacoas. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $156 in Vacoas – so Vacoas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 42%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,086 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Vacoas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 $724, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.