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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $757 per month in Tema vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,192 per month in Tema vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,627 per month in Tema vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Tema is about 55% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Tema sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.16 GHS 82.2

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-10.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.16 GHS 323

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-41.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$5.35 GHS 61.4

$3.13 COP 9,767

70.93%

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

$0.86 GHS 9.84

$1.91 COP 5,954

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 GHS 3.49

$1.51 COP 4,712

-80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.30 GHS 37.92

$3.12 COP 9,747

5.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 GHS 30.08

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-54.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.25 GHS 37.28

$1.44 COP 4,509

125.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 GHS 18.75

$2.49 COP 7,759

-34.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.10 GHS 24.07

$1.77 COP 5,535

18.64%

Eggs

$2.28 GHS 26.18

$2.96 COP 9,235

-22.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 GHS 51.2

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-55.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 GHS 36.53

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-68.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.41 GHS 39.14

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-76.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 GHS 30.32

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-36.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 GHS 25.76

$1.61 COP 5,019

39.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 GHS 25.18

$2.25 COP 7,007

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 GHS 41.02

$2.25 COP 7,028

58.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 GHS 40.89

$2.04 COP 6,375

74.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 GHS 33.44

$1.54 COP 4,790

88.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 GHS 5.26

$1.17 COP 3,651

-60.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 GHS 8.22

$1.31 COP 4,077

-45.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.28 GHS 14.75

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-67.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.84 GHS 101

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-36.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 GHS 24.52

$1.74 COP 5,439

22.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 GHS 34.33

$2.87 COP 8,956

4.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 GHS 20.13

$1.22 COP 3,792

43.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.05 GHS 483

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-47.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 GHS 25.19

$1.31 COP 4,084

67.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 GHS 5.26

$2.19 COP 6,825

-79.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 GHS 13.20

$1.37 COP 4,260

-16.06%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$77.3 GHS 887

$177 COP 553.2K

-56.40%

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

$15.28 GHS 175

$13.88 COP 43.3K

10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.0 GHS 964

$29.72 COP 92.8K

182.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.06 GHS 276

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-46.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 GHS 102

$6.65 COP 20.7K

33.68%

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

$177 GHS 2,031

$813 COP 2.5M

-78.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,608 GHS 29.9K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-71.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.20 GHS 152

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-85.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.86 GHS 182

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-73.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.09 GHS 506

$138 COP 431.2K

-68.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.67 GHS 375

$102 COP 318.7K

-68.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 GHS 1,493

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-87.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$72.8 GHS 836

$663 COP 2.1M

-89.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 GHS 4,917

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-77.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 GHS 2,501

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-78.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,958 GHS 114.3K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

138.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,932 GHS 68.1K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

254.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 GHS 4,935

$678 COP 2.1M

-36.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

219.93%

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

Last update for Tema: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $130 in Tema versus $1,062 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 58% 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 $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $305 – 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 122%, 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 $1,135 per month in Tema and $2,521 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 $48.00 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 $757 in Tema and $1,681 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 $757, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.