Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phoenix and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,011 per month in Phoenix vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,549 per month in Phoenix vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,086 per month in Phoenix vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Phoenix and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Phoenix 25% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.74 MUR 318

$5.95 COP 20.8K

13.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.39 MUR 2,043

$33.33 COP 116.3K

30.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 MUR 306

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-10.10%

Cappuccino

$2.57 MUR 121

$1.63 COP 5,687

57.67%

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

$0.98 MUR 45.97

$1.09 COP 3,821

-10.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.43

$0.73 COP 2,548

-17.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 MUR 98.1

$1.74 COP 6,065

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 MUR 125

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-17.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 MUR 68.9

$1.05 COP 3,662

39.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.25

$1.29 COP 4,515

-44.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 MUR 62.6

$1.32 COP 4,617

0.76%

Eggs

$2.27 MUR 107

$2.27 COP 7,927

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.87 MUR 465

$4.35 COP 15.2K

126.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 MUR 284

$5.88 COP 20.5K

2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.41 MUR 490

$8.61 COP 30.0K

20.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 MUR 95.7

$2.25 COP 7,844

-9.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 MUR 94.3

$1.07 COP 3,733

86.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.4

$1.52 COP 5,322

-4.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MUR 126

$1.42 COP 4,964

88.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 48.20

$1.17 COP 4,084

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MUR 47.00

$1.17 COP 4,077

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.55

$0.89 COP 3,096

-5.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MUR 26.53

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.14 MUR 289

$2.25 COP 7,837

172.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.25 MUR 389

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-25.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MUR 84.1

$1.14 COP 3,977

56.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 MUR 99.2

$2.38 COP 8,301

-11.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 MUR 49.09

$0.84 COP 2,916

23.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 MUR 211

$1.41 COP 4,912

217.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 MUR 128

$1.90 COP 6,634

43.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.48 MUR 729

$7.75 COP 27.0K

99.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MUR 72.7

$1.01 COP 3,509

52.48%

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

$35.9K MUR 1.7M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

104.05%

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

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

10.17%

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

$50.0 MUR 2,356

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-40.21%

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

$18.57 MUR 875

$9.45 COP 33.0K

96.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.02 MUR 1,555

$24.11 COP 84.1K

36.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.92 MUR 1,833

$25.31 COP 88.3K

53.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MUR 292

$4.10 COP 14.3K

50.98%

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

$155 MUR 7,306

$312 COP 1.1M

-50.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,965 MUR 186.7K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-33.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.2 MUR 2,361

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.39 MUR 2,043

$32.56 COP 113.6K

33.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.9 MUR 3,858

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-17.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MUR 3,785

$109 COP 378.8K

-25.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$552 MUR 26.0K

$482 COP 1.7M

14.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 MUR 18.2K

$379 COP 1.3M

2.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$879 MUR 41.4K

$837 COP 2.9M

4.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MUR 29.0K

$723 COP 2.5M

-14.71%

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)

$952 MUR 44.8K

$541 COP 1.9M

76.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

13.43

-53.46%

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

Last update for Phoenix: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $552 in Phoenix 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.

Salaries run about 76% 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 $43.00 in Phoenix versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 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

Phoenix vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,517 per month in Phoenix 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 Phoenix, 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 $43.00 in Phoenix and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Phoenix, where all-in costs run around $1,011, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Phoenix it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phoenix – 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 Phoenix. 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.