Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacoas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacoas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $724 per month in Vacoas vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,107 per month in Vacoas vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,490 per month in Vacoas vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Vacoas is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Vacoas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Vacoas 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.58 MUR 309

$6.16 COP 20.1K

6.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.98 MUR 1,549

$32.60 COP 106.1K

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 MUR 234

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-32.15%

Cappuccino

$2.58 MUR 121

$1.72 COP 5,600

50.00%

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

$0.97 MUR 45.62

$1.05 COP 3,420

-7.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MUR 28.02

$0.77 COP 2,515

-22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.26 MUR 106

$1.69 COP 5,488

33.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 MUR 93.6

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-37.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 MUR 62.9

$1.05 COP 3,423

27.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 MUR 30.80

$1.30 COP 4,236

-49.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MUR 59.3

$1.40 COP 4,544

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.10 MUR 98.6

$2.16 COP 7,047

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.83 MUR 133

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-35.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.92 MUR 137

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-50.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.44 MUR 255

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-37.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 MUR 93.5

$2.28 COP 7,426

-12.72%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MUR 94.5

$1.11 COP 3,604

81.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 MUR 68.2

$1.53 COP 4,983

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.72 MUR 128

$1.35 COP 4,410

101.48%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 MUR 46.24

$1.13 COP 3,674

-13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MUR 47.23

$1.13 COP 3,692

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.80 MUR 37.62

$0.85 COP 2,753

-5.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 MUR 35.29

$0.91 COP 2,975

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 MUR 272

$2.34 COP 7,630

147.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.48 MUR 304

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-47.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 MUR 68.7

$1.20 COP 3,909

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 MUR 104

$2.49 COP 8,104

-10.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 MUR 44.35

$0.84 COP 2,728

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.30 MUR 202

$1.42 COP 4,623

202.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 MUR 125

$1.92 COP 6,235

38.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 MUR 213

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-40.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 MUR 65.8

$0.99 COP 3,223

41.41%

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

$26.9K MUR 1.3M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

49.17%

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

$28.3K MUR 1.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

6.14%

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

$49.42 MUR 2,322

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-38.84%

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

$11.04 MUR 519

$9.95 COP 32.4K

10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.44 MUR 1,195

$24.18 COP 78.7K

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.11 MUR 1,227

$25.08 COP 81.7K

4.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.46 MUR 256

$3.98 COP 13.0K

37.19%

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

$157 MUR 7,378

$305 COP 993.5K

-48.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,037 MUR 189.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-33.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.83 MUR 1,402

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-48.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.57 MUR 1,342

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-11.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.6 MUR 3,130

$101 COP 327.9K

-33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.5 MUR 2,793

$108 COP 350.8K

-44.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$262 MUR 12.3K

$477 COP 1.6M

-45.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MUR 11.0K

$376 COP 1.2M

-37.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 MUR 24.4K

$845 COP 2.7M

-38.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$326 MUR 15.3K

$730 COP 2.4M

-55.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 MUR 32.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

13.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.25

13.43

-68.35%

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

Last update for Vacoas: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $262 in Vacoas 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 13% higher in Vacoas, 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 $33.00 in Vacoas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $156 vs $193 – making Vacoas 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

Vacoas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,086 per month in Vacoas 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 Vacoas, 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 $33.00 in Vacoas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vacoas, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Vacoas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vacoas – 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 Vacoas. 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.