Cost of Living Comparison Between Mlava and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mlava and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,443 per month in Mlava vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,079 per month in Mlava vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Mlava vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Mlava costs about 40% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mlava sits 8% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 zł 41.23

$6.16 COP 20.1K

76.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.92 zł 102

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-17.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.50 zł 32.26

$7.34 COP 23.9K

15.80%

Cappuccino

$2.66 zł 10.08

$1.72 COP 5,599

54.65%

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

$1.98 zł 7.50

$1.05 COP 3,420

88.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 zł 6.84

$0.77 COP 2,515

133.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 zł 10.49

$1.69 COP 5,487

63.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 zł 15.39

$3.17 COP 10.3K

28.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 zł 3.86

$1.05 COP 3,423

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 zł 4.96

$1.30 COP 4,236

0.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 zł 6.85

$1.40 COP 4,544

29.29%

Eggs

$3.48 zł 13.19

$2.16 COP 7,046

61.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.28 zł 35.21

$4.39 COP 14.3K

111.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 zł 24.70

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 zł 50.2

$8.64 COP 28.1K

53.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 zł 3.96

$2.28 COP 7,425

-54.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 zł 6.91

$1.11 COP 3,603

63.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 zł 7.70

$1.53 COP 4,982

32.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.76 zł 10.48

$1.35 COP 4,410

104.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 zł 3.73

$1.13 COP 3,674

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 zł 4.33

$1.13 COP 3,692

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 zł 5.30

$0.85 COP 2,753

64.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 zł 2.44

$0.91 COP 2,975

-29.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.00 zł 18.95

$2.34 COP 7,629

113.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.74 zł 25.59

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-45.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 zł 4.41

$1.20 COP 3,909

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 zł 5.72

$2.49 COP 8,104

-39.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 zł 4.18

$0.84 COP 2,727

30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.32 zł 123

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-20.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 zł 8.46

$1.42 COP 4,623

57.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 zł 3.14

$1.92 COP 6,235

-56.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.65 zł 51.8

$7.66 COP 24.9K

78.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 zł 6.44

$0.99 COP 3,223

71.72%

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

$33.2K zł 125.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

83.87%

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

$31.1K zł 117.9K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

16.67%

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

$316 zł 1,198

$80.8 COP 263.1K

290.69%

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

$6.73 zł 25.53

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-32.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.19 zł 31.09

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-66.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.09 zł 137

$25.08 COP 81.6K

43.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.75 zł 75.0

$19.15 COP 62.3K

3.13%

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 zł 20.36

$3.98 COP 13.0K

34.92%

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

$378 zł 1,434

$305 COP 993.4K

23.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,618 zł 28.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

25.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.1 zł 319

$58.1 COP 189.2K

44.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.91 zł 163

$32.20 COP 104.8K

33.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 zł 329

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 zł 312

$108 COP 350.8K

-23.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 zł 2,480

$477 COP 1.6M

37.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$497 zł 1,887

$376 COP 1.2M

32.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$972 zł 3,689

$845 COP 2.7M

15.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$824 zł 3,126

$730 COP 2.4M

12.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,954 zł 11.2K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-8.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,300 zł 8,727

$1,372 COP 4.5M

67.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,032 zł 3,915

$617 COP 2.0M

67.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.01

13.43

-47.80%

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

Last update for Mlava: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $654 in Mlava versus $477 in Medellin. 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 67% higher in Mlava, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Mlava versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Mlava vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin 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

Mlava vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mlava is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,165 per month in Mlava and $1,546 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 $27.00 in Mlava and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,443 in Mlava and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Mlava at $1,443. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mlava 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, Mlava makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.