Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Midlands and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,065 per month in Midlands vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,709 per month in Midlands vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,353 per month in Midlands vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Midlands costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Midlands and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Midlands 20% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.77 MUR 317

$5.91 COP 18.6K

14.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.86 MUR 2,101

$32.96 COP 103.8K

36.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 MUR 331

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-4.85%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 119

$1.65 COP 5,207

54.55%

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

$0.96 MUR 45.02

$1.10 COP 3,468

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.01

$0.78 COP 2,458

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 MUR 102

$1.72 COP 5,412

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 MUR 155

$3.18 COP 10.0K

4.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 MUR 79.1

$1.10 COP 3,474

53.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 MUR 32.93

$1.26 COP 3,962

-44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 60.1

$1.38 COP 4,349

-7.25%

Eggs

$2.25 MUR 105

$2.18 COP 6,858

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 MUR 565

$4.49 COP 14.1K

168.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.13 MUR 287

$5.79 COP 18.2K

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.49 MUR 585

$8.97 COP 28.2K

39.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 MUR 97.2

$2.32 COP 7,308

-10.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MUR 90.4

$1.06 COP 3,352

82.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 70.7

$1.52 COP 4,774

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$1.36 COP 4,270

94.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.01

$1.13 COP 3,552

-9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 MUR 44.30

$1.17 COP 3,689

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 MUR 39.64

$0.90 COP 2,838

-5.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.09

$0.90 COP 2,823

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.76 MUR 317

$2.23 COP 7,034

203.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.56 MUR 401

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-29.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MUR 83.8

$1.19 COP 3,743

50.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 MUR 104

$2.48 COP 7,815

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 48.73

$0.85 COP 2,687

22.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 MUR 211

$1.42 COP 4,459

217.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 128

$1.95 COP 6,141

39.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.45 MUR 911

$7.89 COP 24.8K

146.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.4

$0.99 COP 3,118

47.47%

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

$35.3K MUR 1.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

100.72%

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

$28.5K MUR 1.3M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

6.30%

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

$48.57 MUR 2,275

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-41.49%

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

$18.04 MUR 845

$9.70 COP 30.5K

85.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,548

$23.52 COP 74.1K

40.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.65 MUR 1,763

$25.26 COP 79.5K

49.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$5.88 MUR 276

$3.95 COP 12.4K

48.86%

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

$152 MUR 7,110

$316 COP 994.2K

-51.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,018 MUR 188.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-32.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.7 MUR 3,922

$60.0 COP 188.9K

39.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 MUR 3,738

$31.82 COP 100.2K

150.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 MUR 6,127

$102 COP 320.1K

28.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.1 MUR 4,501

$107 COP 338.3K

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$519 MUR 24.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

9.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 MUR 16.2K

$374 COP 1.2M

-7.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 MUR 44.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

12.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MUR 33.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

0.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Midlands: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $519 in Midlands versus $475 in Medellin. 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 $45.00 in Midlands versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $193 – 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

Midlands vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Midlands is pricier by about 6%, 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 $1,598 per month in Midlands and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $45.00 in Midlands and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Midlands, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Midlands at $1,065. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Midlands it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Midlands makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.