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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,021 per month in Phoenix vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,545 per month in Phoenix vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,069 per month in Phoenix vs $2,120 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 24% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.63 MUR 310

$5.92 COP 21.4K

11.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.74 MUR 2,094

$32.75 COP 118.2K

36.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.56 MUR 307

$7.20 COP 26.0K

-8.89%

Cappuccino

$2.67 MUR 125

$1.70 COP 6,140

57.06%

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

$1.02 MUR 47.66

$1.10 COP 3,966

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 27.86

$0.72 COP 2,605

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.13 MUR 99.6

$1.67 COP 6,022

27.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 MUR 131

$3.10 COP 11.2K

-9.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MUR 67.9

$1.06 COP 3,809

36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 MUR 30.61

$1.25 COP 4,497

-48.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MUR 59.7

$1.39 COP 5,022

-7.91%

Eggs

$2.31 MUR 108

$2.26 COP 8,168

2.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 MUR 468

$4.33 COP 15.6K

131.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 MUR 290

$5.84 COP 21.1K

6.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.49 MUR 491

$8.83 COP 31.9K

18.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 MUR 96.5

$2.24 COP 8,099

-8.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 MUR 92.7

$1.08 COP 3,882

83.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.43 MUR 66.9

$1.53 COP 5,522

-6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.64 MUR 123

$1.37 COP 4,950

92.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.02

$1.13 COP 4,078

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.03

$1.12 COP 4,036

-12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 MUR 36.93

$0.85 COP 3,057

-7.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 MUR 24.85

$0.91 COP 3,281

-41.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 MUR 280

$2.33 COP 8,414

156.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 MUR 406

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-22.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MUR 79.9

$1.19 COP 4,309

43.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 MUR 98.0

$2.37 COP 8,553

-11.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 MUR 46.43

$0.79 COP 2,838

25.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.35 MUR 204

$1.44 COP 5,184

202.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.74 MUR 128

$1.91 COP 6,901

43.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.58 MUR 729

$8.02 COP 28.9K

94.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MUR 71.2

$0.94 COP 3,385

61.70%

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

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

$17.9K COP 64.7M

98.67%

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

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

$26.8K COP 96.7M

9.57%

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

$49.77 MUR 2,329

$84.0 COP 303.1K

-40.72%

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

$18.07 MUR 846

$9.60 COP 34.7K

88.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.07 MUR 1,500

$24.16 COP 87.2K

32.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.91 MUR 1,820

$25.88 COP 93.4K

50.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.96 MUR 279

$3.92 COP 14.1K

52.04%

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

$156 MUR 7,292

$306 COP 1.1M

-49.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,955 MUR 185.0K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

-33.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 MUR 2,331

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-13.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.42 MUR 2,032

$31.82 COP 114.9K

36.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MUR 3,837

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-17.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 MUR 3,615

$107 COP 386.8K

-27.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 MUR 25.7K

$487 COP 1.8M

12.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 MUR 17.9K

$368 COP 1.3M

4.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$865 MUR 40.5K

$826 COP 3.0M

4.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 MUR 27.9K

$716 COP 2.6M

-16.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$683 MUR 32.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

25.22%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $548 in Phoenix versus $487 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 25% 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 $45.00 in Phoenix versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 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 $1,532 per month in Phoenix and $1,550 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 $45.00 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 13% 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 $1,021, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.