Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix: $842 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Phoenix

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$842

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phoenix and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phoenix and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $842 per month in Phoenix vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix $842
Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,313 per month in Phoenix vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix $1,313
Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Phoenix vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix $1,784
Medellin $3,186

Phoenix is about 49% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Phoenix sits 38% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.16 MUR 102

$8.09 COP 26.1K

-73.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.24 MUR 1,472

$47.05 COP 151.7K

-33.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 MUR 353

$9.50 COP 30.6K

-21.16%

Cappuccino

$5.40 MUR 255

$3.01 COP 9,722

79.40%

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

$0.65 MUR 30.75

$1.80 COP 5,801

-63.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 MUR 25.73

$1.41 COP 4,554

-60.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MUR 99.4

$3.18 COP 10.2K

-33.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 MUR 253

$5.75 COP 18.5K

-6.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MUR 70.9

$1.51 COP 4,869

-0.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.40 MUR 18.93

$2.38 COP 7,667

-83.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 MUR 102

$1.77 COP 5,712

22.60%

Eggs

$5.01 MUR 236

$2.89 COP 9,320

73.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MUR 393

$9.87 COP 31.8K

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.30 MUR 297

$13.99 COP 45.1K

-54.97%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 MUR 349

$3.97 COP 12.8K

86.65%

Banana (1kg)

$3.79 MUR 178

$1.55 COP 5,005

144.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.63 MUR 218

$2.18 COP 7,039

112.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 MUR 72.2

$2.18 COP 7,041

-29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 MUR 41.92

$1.96 COP 6,328

-54.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 MUR 38.31

$1.59 COP 5,125

-49.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 MUR 33.15

$1.15 COP 3,694

-39.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 MUR 35.73

$1.24 COP 4,009

-38.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 MUR 497

$13.68 COP 44.1K

-22.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MUR 97.2

$1.66 COP 5,352

24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,281

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 MUR 48.75

$1.17 COP 3,766

-11.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.76 MUR 507

$77.4 COP 249.5K

-86.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,089

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 MUR 68.6

$2.05 COP 6,603

-28.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MUR 60.9

$1.35 COP 4,343

-4.44%

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

$34.1K COP 109.8M

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

$34.7K COP 111.8M

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

$170 COP 547.0K

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

$14.45 MUR 681

$13.55 COP 43.7K

6.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.12 MUR 1,184

$28.07 COP 90.5K

-10.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.60 MUR 1,207

$43.70 COP 140.9K

-41.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.4K

Cinema Ticket

$5.39 MUR 254

$6.91 COP 22.3K

-22.00%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.6 MUR 2,526

$84.7 COP 273.2K

-36.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 MUR 2,519

$58.0 COP 186.9K

-7.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 315.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 MUR 25.0K

$1,208 COP 3.9M

-56.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 MUR 15.2K

$642 COP 2.1M

-49.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$855 MUR 40.3K

$2,028 COP 6.5M

-57.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$525 MUR 24.7K

$1,012 COP 3.3M

-48.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$939 MUR 44.2K

$657 COP 2.1M

42.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.30%

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

Last update for Phoenix: October 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Groceries & Markets

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Eating Out

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Getting Around

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Phoenix

–

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $531 in Phoenix versus $1,208 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 43% higher in Phoenix, 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 $31 in Phoenix versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $297 – making Phoenix the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇺 Phoenix

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

07:16 7:16 AM

22:16 10:16 PM

9 h behind Phoenix

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,289

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.9 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to MUR – Mauritian Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇺 Mauritian Rupee (₨)

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 47.13 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.62 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

USD to MUR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phoenix Medellin 14,730 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phoenix
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Phoenix vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,262 per month in Phoenix and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phoenix, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $531 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.

Public transport costs about 86% less in Phoenix. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Phoenix, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Phoenix it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $842 in Phoenix to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

For expats, Phoenix is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 49% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.