Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Tema and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $624 per month in Tema vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $995 per month in Tema vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,365 per month in Tema vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Tema is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tema and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tema 53% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.19 GHS 83.0

$6.16 COP 20.1K

16.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.76 GHS 321

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 GHS 90.3

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.54%

Cappuccino

$1.46 GHS 16.84

$1.72 COP 5,600

-15.12%

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

$1.04 GHS 12.05

$1.05 COP 3,420

-0.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 GHS 3.57

$0.77 COP 2,515

-59.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 GHS 20.04

$1.69 COP 5,488

2.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 GHS 30.81

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-15.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 GHS 35.25

$1.05 COP 3,423

190.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 GHS 18.66

$1.30 COP 4,236

24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 GHS 18.06

$1.40 COP 4,544

11.43%

Eggs

$2.19 GHS 25.24

$2.16 COP 7,047

1.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.66 GHS 42.30

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-16.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.64 GHS 30.46

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-55.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.41 GHS 27.83

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-72.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 GHS 32.68

$2.28 COP 7,426

24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 GHS 23.38

$1.11 COP 3,604

81.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 GHS 24.13

$1.53 COP 4,983

36.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.86 GHS 32.98

$1.35 COP 4,410

111.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 GHS 20.99

$1.13 COP 3,674

61.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 GHS 22.93

$1.13 COP 3,692

76.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 GHS 7.39

$0.85 COP 2,753

-24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.13

$0.91 COP 2,975

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$7.04 GHS 81.3

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-43.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 GHS 10.11

$1.20 COP 3,909

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 GHS 24.28

$0.84 COP 2,728

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.03 GHS 462

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-1.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 GHS 15.76

$1.42 COP 4,623

-4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 GHS 8.76

$1.92 COP 6,235

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 GHS 13.81

$0.99 COP 3,223

21.21%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$31.32 GHS 362

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-61.24%

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

$12.42 GHS 143

$9.95 COP 32.4K

24.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 GHS 746

$24.18 COP 78.7K

167.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.29 GHS 223

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-23.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$83.0 GHS 958

$305 COP 993.5K

-72.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.46 GHS 282

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-57.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.21 GHS 280

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.56 GHS 526

$101 COP 327.9K

-54.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.8 GHS 714

$108 COP 350.8K

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 GHS 1,364

$477 COP 1.6M

-75.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$65.8 GHS 760

$376 COP 1.2M

-82.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$136 GHS 1,575

$730 COP 2.4M

-81.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,960 GHS 115.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

209.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,047 GHS 69.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

340.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$414 GHS 4,777

$617 COP 2.0M

-32.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

32.5

13.43

142.00%

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

Last update for Tema: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $118 in Tema versus $477 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 Medellin, 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 $28.00 in Tema versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $193 – making Tema 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

Tema vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 65%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $937 per month in Tema and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tema, 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 $28.00 in Tema and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $624 in Tema and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tema, where all-in costs run around $624, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Tema it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Tema – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Tema. 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.