🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Andong versus $1,681 in Medellin.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,151 in Andong versus $2,445 in Medellin.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,907 in Andong versus $3,210 in Medellin.
🌍Living in Andong costs roughly 17% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Andong2% above, Medellin23% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.87₩8,098
$8.02COP 25.3K
-26.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.96₩48.3K
$47.87COP 151.0K
-26.97%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.73₩9,291
$9.89COP 31.2K
-31.95%
Cappuccino
$3.54₩4,886
$3.13COP 9,873
13.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52₩2,095
$1.91COP 6,019
-20.42%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.57₩790
$1.51COP 4,763
-62.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.39₩4,676
$3.12COP 9,853
8.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39₩6,058
$5.75COP 18.1K
-23.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19₩3,026
$1.44COP 4,558
52.08%
White Bread(500g)
$3.17₩4,379
$2.49COP 7,843
27.31%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24₩3,095
$1.77COP 5,595
26.55%
Eggs
$3.25₩4,479
$2.96COP 9,336
9.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.38₩21.2K
$10.07COP 31.8K
52.73%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.72₩10.7K
$10.12COP 31.9K
-23.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.25₩15.5K
$14.30COP 45.1K
-21.33%
Apples(1kg)
$7.67₩10.6K
$4.14COP 13.0K
85.27%
Banana(1kg)
$3.18₩4,393
$1.61COP 5,073
97.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.22₩9,970
$2.25COP 7,083
220.89%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.75₩9,322
$2.25COP 7,104
200.00%
Potato(1kg)
$3.43₩4,737
$2.04COP 6,444
68.14%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49₩3,431
$1.54COP 4,842
61.69%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.98₩2,734
$1.17COP 3,691
69.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.31₩1,810
$1.31COP 4,121
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.40₩4,694
$3.90COP 12.3K
-12.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.45₩25.5K
$14.01COP 44.2K
31.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.18₩3,007
$1.74COP 5,498
25.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.42₩4,717
$2.87COP 9,053
19.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Andong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.13₩1,555
$1.22COP 3,834
-7.38%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$80.5COP 253.9K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.05₩4,205
$1.31COP 4,129
132.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.65₩898
$2.19COP 6,899
-70.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$16.51₩22.8K
$8.71COP 27.5K
89.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.40₩1,928
$1.37COP 4,306
2.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K₩40.0M
$27.8KCOP 87.8M
4.17%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.5K₩49.0M
$35.8KCOP 112.8M
-0.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$213₩294.6K
$177COP 559.3K
20.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$42.88₩59.2K
$13.88COP 43.8K
208.93%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.89₩28.8K
$29.72COP 93.8K
-29.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.8₩78.4K
$44.88COP 141.6K
26.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.13₩16.7K
$17.12COP 54.0K
-29.15%
Cinema Ticket
$11.08₩15.3K
$6.65COP 21.0K
66.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$296₩409.2K
$813COP 2.6M
-63.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.9K₩24.7M
$9,187COP 29.0M
94.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.8₩90.8K
$89.5COP 282.3K
-26.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.9₩88.2K
$59.0COP 186.0K
8.38%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$74.6₩102.9K
$138COP 435.9K
-46.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.8₩135.0K
$102COP 322.1K
-4.25%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Andong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$450₩620.6K
$1,062COP 3.3M
-57.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$353₩486.9K
$663COP 2.1M
-46.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,173₩1.6M
$1,888COP 6.0M
-37.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$726₩1.0M
$1,027COP 3.2M
-29.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,016₩9.7M
$4,183COP 13.2M
67.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,511₩7.6M
$1,675COP 5.3M
229.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,877₩2.6M
$678COP 2.1M
176.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.1
10.94
-62.52%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Andong: September 15, 2026
Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Andong and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Andong pays 177% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $35.00 in Andong vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $408 vs $305, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.
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
Andong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Andong or Medellin?
Andong wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Andong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Andong or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 177% higher in Andong, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Andong compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Andong versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Andong and in Medellin?
Childcare runs $296 in Andong versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Andong and in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Andong – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Andong or in Medellin?
At $1,395 in Andong versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Andong but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Andong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Andong or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Andong delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,395 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Andong hard to pass up.
How safe is Andong compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Andong and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Andong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.