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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $611 per month in Tema vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $989 per month in Tema vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,367 per month in Tema vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Tema is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Tema and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Tema 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.50 GHS 88.0

$5.99 COP 21.4K

25.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.73 GHS 326

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-15.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 GHS 96.0

$7.09 COP 25.3K

15.37%

Cappuccino

$1.46 GHS 17.14

$1.71 COP 6,115

-14.62%

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

$1.00 GHS 11.78

$1.10 COP 3,924

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 GHS 3.93

$0.78 COP 2,781

-57.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 GHS 20.38

$1.68 COP 5,997

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 GHS 31.63

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-12.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 GHS 34.94

$1.09 COP 3,906

173.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 GHS 19.69

$1.26 COP 4,508

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 GHS 18.22

$1.38 COP 4,922

12.32%

Eggs

$2.18 GHS 25.64

$2.19 COP 7,827

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.72 GHS 43.73

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-15.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.73 GHS 32.08

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-51.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.44 GHS 28.63

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-72.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 GHS 31.76

$2.34 COP 8,349

15.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 GHS 24.38

$1.06 COP 3,777

96.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 GHS 24.27

$1.50 COP 5,374

38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.89 GHS 33.97

$1.38 COP 4,924

109.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 GHS 21.60

$1.15 COP 4,111

60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 GHS 23.15

$1.16 COP 4,155

69.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 GHS 7.16

$0.89 COP 3,182

-31.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 GHS 9.63

$0.84 COP 2,997

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$7.21 GHS 84.7

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-32.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 GHS 9.66

$1.20 COP 4,284

-31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 GHS 23.87

$0.86 COP 3,056

136.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.80 GHS 467

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-3.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 GHS 16.64

$1.47 COP 5,264

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 GHS 9.00

$1.96 COP 7,009

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 GHS 13.98

$0.95 COP 3,409

25.26%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$30.84 GHS 362

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-62.50%

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

$12.26 GHS 144

$9.50 COP 33.9K

29.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.6 GHS 759

$24.23 COP 86.5K

166.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.37 GHS 227

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-25.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$82.4 GHS 967

$309 COP 1.1M

-73.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.07 GHS 294

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-57.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.67 GHS 290

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-23.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.82 GHS 538

$103 COP 366.4K

-55.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.6 GHS 712

$108 COP 387.2K

-44.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$117 GHS 1,371

$476 COP 1.7M

-75.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.6 GHS 782

$379 COP 1.4M

-82.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 GHS 1,629

$724 COP 2.6M

-80.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K GHS 117.6K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

258.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,030 GHS 70.8K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

397.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 GHS 4,576

$512 COP 1.8M

-23.83%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $117 in Tema versus $476 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 31% 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 $188 – 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 66%, 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 $916 per month in Tema and $1,519 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 $611 in Tema and $1,013 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 $611, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.