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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,078 per month in Midlands vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,741 per month in Midlands vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,405 per month in Midlands vs $2,188 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.67 MUR 314

$5.95 COP 20.8K

12.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.23 MUR 2,083

$33.33 COP 116.3K

32.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 MUR 339

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$2.54 MUR 119

$1.63 COP 5,687

55.83%

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

$0.95 MUR 44.91

$1.09 COP 3,821

-12.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.91

$0.73 COP 2,548

-19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 MUR 105

$1.74 COP 6,065

28.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 MUR 156

$3.23 COP 11.3K

2.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MUR 79.2

$1.05 COP 3,662

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.50

$1.29 COP 4,515

-44.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 62.1

$1.32 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.35 MUR 111

$2.27 COP 7,927

3.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.71 MUR 551

$4.35 COP 15.2K

169.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.11 MUR 288

$5.88 COP 20.5K

3.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 MUR 589

$8.61 COP 30.0K

45.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.6

$2.25 COP 7,844

-11.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.7

$1.07 COP 3,733

87.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 MUR 71.1

$1.52 COP 5,322

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.71 MUR 128

$1.42 COP 4,964

90.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 MUR 46.48

$1.17 COP 4,084

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MUR 43.70

$1.17 COP 4,077

-20.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 37.14

$0.89 COP 3,096

-11.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MUR 38.22

$0.90 COP 3,146

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 MUR 306

$2.25 COP 7,837

188.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 389

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 81.0

$1.14 COP 3,977

50.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 MUR 104

$2.38 COP 8,301

-7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 MUR 47.34

$0.84 COP 2,916

20.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.49 MUR 211

$1.41 COP 4,912

218.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MUR 129

$1.90 COP 6,634

44.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.01 MUR 942

$7.75 COP 27.0K

158.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 66.0

$1.01 COP 3,509

38.61%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

103.05%

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

$29.1K MUR 1.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

9.80%

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

$49.38 MUR 2,325

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-40.99%

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

$18.03 MUR 849

$9.45 COP 33.0K

90.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.05 MUR 1,556

$24.11 COP 84.1K

37.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.69 MUR 1,775

$25.31 COP 88.3K

48.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 MUR 277

$4.10 COP 14.3K

43.66%

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

$155 MUR 7,285

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,035 MUR 190.0K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-32.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 MUR 4,069

$58.0 COP 202.6K

48.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.5 MUR 3,745

$32.56 COP 113.6K

144.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 MUR 6,128

$99.6 COP 347.7K

30.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.5 MUR 4,495

$109 COP 378.8K

-12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 MUR 24.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 MUR 16.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-5.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 MUR 43.8K

$837 COP 2.9M

11.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$717 MUR 33.8K

$723 COP 2.5M

-0.79%

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 %)

6.67

13.43

-50.34%

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

Last update for Midlands: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Midlands versus $482 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 $44.00 in Midlands versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $190 – 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 $1,617 per month in Midlands and $1,525 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 $44.00 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 22% 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 $1,017, than in Midlands at $1,078. 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.