πA single person spends $1,070 per month in Port Louis vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.
πA couple spends around $1,680 per month in Port Louis vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.
πA family of three spends $2,290 per month in Port Louis vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.
πPort Louis costs about 3% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
πBoth Port Louis and Medellin are more affordable than the global median β Port Louis20% lower, Medellin23% lower.
Currency
π½ Eating Out
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.55MURΒ 306
$5.92COPΒ 21.4K
10.64%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.85MURΒ 2,099
$32.75COPΒ 118.2K
36.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.04MURΒ 329
$7.20COPΒ 26.0K
-2.22%
Cappuccino
$2.59MURΒ 121
$1.70COPΒ 6,140
52.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.02MURΒ 47.83
$1.10COPΒ 3,966
-7.27%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55MURΒ 25.82
$0.72COPΒ 2,605
-23.61%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.17MURΒ 101
$1.67COPΒ 6,022
29.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27MURΒ 153
$3.10COPΒ 11.2K
5.48%
π Groceries & Markets
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.68MURΒ 78.8
$1.06COPΒ 3,809
58.49%
White Bread(500g)
$0.66MURΒ 30.91
$1.25COPΒ 4,497
-47.20%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.27MURΒ 59.5
$1.39COPΒ 5,022
-8.63%
Eggs
$2.23MURΒ 104
$2.26COPΒ 8,168
-1.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.02MURΒ 563
$4.33COPΒ 15.6K
177.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.26MURΒ 293
$5.84COPΒ 21.1K
7.19%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.72MURΒ 595
$8.83COPΒ 31.9K
44.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.00MURΒ 93.7
$2.24COPΒ 8,099
-10.71%
Banana(1kg)
$2.00MURΒ 93.4
$1.08COPΒ 3,882
85.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44MURΒ 67.4
$1.53COPΒ 5,522
-5.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.64MURΒ 123
$1.37COPΒ 4,950
92.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.99MURΒ 46.42
$1.13COPΒ 4,078
-12.39%
Onion(1kg)
$0.99MURΒ 46.19
$1.12COPΒ 4,036
-11.61%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86MURΒ 40.15
$0.85COPΒ 3,057
1.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77MURΒ 35.93
$0.91COPΒ 3,281
-15.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.54MURΒ 306
$2.33COPΒ 8,414
180.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.49MURΒ 397
$11.13COPΒ 40.2K
-23.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78MURΒ 83.1
$1.19COPΒ 4,309
49.58%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23MURΒ 104
$2.37COPΒ 8,553
-5.91%
π Getting Around
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.02MURΒ 47.65
$0.79COPΒ 2,838
29.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.48MURΒ 1,052
$41.13COPΒ 148.5K
-45.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.37MURΒ 204
$1.44COPΒ 5,184
203.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.74MURΒ 128
$1.91COPΒ 6,901
43.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.17MURΒ 944
$8.02COPΒ 28.9K
151.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40MURΒ 65.4
$0.94COPΒ 3,385
48.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3KMURΒ 1.7M
$17.9KCOPΒ 64.7M
96.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.5KMURΒ 1.3M
$26.8KCOPΒ 96.7M
6.51%
π§Ύ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$48.88MURΒ 2,287
$84.0COPΒ 303.1K
-41.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.03MURΒ 843
$9.60COPΒ 34.7K
87.81%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.09MURΒ 1,548
$24.16COPΒ 87.2K
36.96%
π Sport & Entertainment
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.89MURΒ 1,118
$25.88COPΒ 93.4K
-7.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.00MURΒ 187
$19.04COPΒ 68.7K
-78.99%
Cinema Ticket
$5.88MURΒ 275
$3.92COPΒ 14.1K
50.00%
π§Έ Childcare & Education
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$156MURΒ 7,301
$306COPΒ 1.1M
-49.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,900MURΒ 182.5K
$5,919COPΒ 21.4M
-34.10%
ππ Clothing & Footwear
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0MURΒ 3,976
$57.9COPΒ 209.1K
46.74%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$78.9MURΒ 3,693
$31.82COPΒ 114.9K
148.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$134MURΒ 6,256
$99.9COPΒ 360.6K
33.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.2MURΒ 4,360
$107COPΒ 386.8K
-13.02%
π Accommodation & Living
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$465MURΒ 21.7K
$487COPΒ 1.8M
-4.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$357MURΒ 16.7K
$368COPΒ 1.3M
-2.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$783MURΒ 36.6K
$826COPΒ 3.0M
-5.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$627MURΒ 29.4K
$716COPΒ 2.6M
-12.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,163MURΒ 194.8K
$2,925COPΒ 10.6M
42.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,086MURΒ 50.8K
$1,407COPΒ 5.1M
-22.80%
π΅ Salaries & Financials
Port Louis
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$648MURΒ 30.3K
$546COPΒ 2.0M
18.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.67
13.43
-50.34%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input β minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Port Louis: April 26, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
π A central one-bedroom costs $465 in Port Louis 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.
π°Salaries run about 19% higher in Port Louis, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.
πA mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Port Louis versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $190 β 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
Port Louis vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Port Louis?
Yes β Port Louis is pricier by about 3%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,605 per month in Port Louis and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled β not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Port Louis vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,070 in Port Louis and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category β it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Port Louis or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Port Louis at $1,070. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Port Louis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Port Louis or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin β lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Port Louis or Medellin?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison β central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Port Louis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Port Louis vs other spots: cost of living compared