Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Aktau and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $716 per month in Aktau vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in Aktau vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,657 per month in Aktau vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Aktau is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Aktau and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Aktau 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.02 ₸4,892

$5.95 COP 20.8K

68.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.56 ₸19.3K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

18.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ₸4,348

$7.23 COP 25.2K

23.10%

Cappuccino

$2.26 ₸1,103

$1.63 COP 5,687

38.65%

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

$0.55 ₸271

$1.09 COP 3,821

-49.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸215

$0.73 COP 2,548

-39.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 ₸585

$1.74 COP 6,065

-31.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₸656

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-58.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 ₸585

$1.05 COP 3,662

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 ₸189

$1.29 COP 4,515

-69.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 ₸833

$1.32 COP 4,617

29.55%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸701

$2.27 COP 7,927

-36.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.88 ₸4,336

$4.35 COP 15.2K

104.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.90 ₸1,902

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-33.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 ₸3,713

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 ₸655

$2.25 COP 7,844

-40.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 ₸972

$1.07 COP 3,733

85.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 ₸1,026

$1.52 COP 5,322

38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.44 ₸1,190

$1.42 COP 4,964

71.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ₸286

$1.17 COP 4,084

-50.43%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₸247

$1.17 COP 4,077

-56.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 ₸631

$0.89 COP 3,096

44.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ₸417

$0.90 COP 3,146

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.41 ₸1,178

$2.25 COP 7,837

7.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.97 ₸4,382

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₸316

$1.14 COP 3,977

-42.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 ₸377

$2.38 COP 8,301

-67.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 ₸62.1

$0.84 COP 2,916

-84.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 ₸456

$1.41 COP 4,912

-34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 ₸301

$1.90 COP 6,634

-67.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 ₸2,256

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-40.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 ₸244

$1.01 COP 3,509

-50.50%

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

$20.3K ₸9.9M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

15.41%

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

$24.7K ₸12.1M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-6.85%

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

$40.96 ₸20.0K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-51.05%

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

$7.78 ₸3,801

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-17.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.42 ₸4,601

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-60.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.76 ₸16.0K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

29.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$2.82 ₸1,376

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-31.22%

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

$125 ₸60.9K

$312 COP 1.1M

-60.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,306 ₸1.1M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-61.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ₸28.6K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

0.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 ₸17.0K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.8 ₸31.1K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-36.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ₸37.8K

$109 COP 378.8K

-28.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 ₸123.6K

$482 COP 1.7M

-47.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 ₸88.5K

$379 COP 1.3M

-52.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$448 ₸219.0K

$837 COP 2.9M

-46.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 ₸176.7K

$723 COP 2.5M

-49.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$775 ₸378.3K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-72.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$620 ₸302.8K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-49.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$521 ₸254.5K

$541 COP 1.9M

-3.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-40.43%

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

Last update for Aktau: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $253 in Aktau versus $482 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 4% 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 $40.00 in Aktau versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Aktau vs $190 in Medellin – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Aktau vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 42% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,075 per month in Aktau and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, 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 $40.00 in Aktau 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 7% 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 Aktau, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $716 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Aktau. 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.