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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,010 per month in Phoenix vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,548 per month in Phoenix vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,086 per month in Phoenix vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Phoenix costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 MUR 307

$5.91 COP 18.6K

10.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.63 MUR 2,043

$32.96 COP 103.8K

32.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.74 MUR 316

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-9.29%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MUR 119

$1.65 COP 5,207

54.55%

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

$1.01 MUR 47.22

$1.10 COP 3,468

-8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 MUR 27.82

$0.78 COP 2,458

-24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MUR 102

$1.72 COP 5,412

26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MUR 131

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-11.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MUR 70.1

$1.10 COP 3,474

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 MUR 33.16

$1.26 COP 3,962

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 MUR 61.7

$1.38 COP 4,349

-4.35%

Eggs

$2.24 MUR 105

$2.18 COP 6,858

2.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MUR 464

$4.49 COP 14.1K

120.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.16 MUR 288

$5.79 COP 18.2K

6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 MUR 489

$8.97 COP 28.2K

16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 92.8

$2.32 COP 7,308

-14.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 MUR 88.8

$1.06 COP 3,352

79.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 MUR 68.3

$1.52 COP 4,774

-3.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 124

$1.36 COP 4,270

94.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 45.73

$1.13 COP 3,552

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MUR 47.69

$1.17 COP 3,689

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MUR 39.11

$0.90 COP 2,838

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 24.63

$0.90 COP 2,823

-41.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.00 MUR 281

$2.23 COP 7,034

169.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.42 MUR 394

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-30.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MUR 80.6

$1.19 COP 3,743

44.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 MUR 99.8

$2.48 COP 7,815

-14.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 MUR 46.68

$0.85 COP 2,687

17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 MUR 201

$1.42 COP 4,459

202.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 MUR 124

$1.95 COP 6,141

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.35 MUR 719

$7.89 COP 24.8K

94.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 MUR 73.8

$0.99 COP 3,118

59.60%

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

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

102.96%

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

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

5.86%

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

$49.40 MUR 2,314

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-40.49%

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

$18.62 MUR 872

$9.70 COP 30.5K

91.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.88 MUR 1,493

$23.52 COP 74.1K

35.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.26 MUR 1,792

$25.26 COP 79.5K

51.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 MUR 282

$3.95 COP 12.4K

52.41%

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

$154 MUR 7,216

$316 COP 994.2K

-51.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,963 MUR 185.6K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-33.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 MUR 2,343

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 MUR 2,032

$31.82 COP 100.2K

36.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 MUR 3,825

$102 COP 320.1K

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.1 MUR 3,660

$107 COP 338.3K

-27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$561 MUR 26.3K

$475 COP 1.5M

18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 MUR 18.1K

$374 COP 1.2M

3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MUR 40.7K

$849 COP 2.7M

2.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 MUR 28.3K

$719 COP 2.3M

-15.91%

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)

$932 MUR 43.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

49.25%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $561 in Phoenix 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.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Phoenix, 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 $44.00 in Phoenix versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $213 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

Phoenix vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phoenix 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 $1,514 per month in Phoenix 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 $44.00 in Phoenix and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Phoenix, 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 Phoenix at $1,010. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phoenix 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, Phoenix makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.