😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,421 in Andong versus $1,017 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,229 in Andong versus $1,602 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,036 in Andong versus $2,188 in Medellin.
😐Living in Andong is roughly 40% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Andong is 6% above, Medellin is 24% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.18₩10.9K
$5.95COP 20.8K
20.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.68₩55.7K
$33.33COP 116.3K
10.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.51₩8,361
$7.23COP 25.2K
-23.79%
Cappuccino
$3.92₩5,958
$1.63COP 5,687
140.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51₩2,299
$1.09COP 3,821
38.53%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.85₩1,297
$0.73COP 2,548
16.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25₩4,938
$1.74COP 6,065
86.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.05₩7,667
$3.23COP 11.3K
56.35%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22₩3,378
$1.05COP 3,662
111.43%
White Bread(500g)
$3.03₩4,609
$1.29COP 4,515
134.88%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.13₩4,756
$1.32COP 4,617
137.12%
Eggs
$2.88₩4,374
$2.27COP 7,927
26.87%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.42₩15.8K
$4.35COP 15.2K
139.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.24₩12.5K
$5.88COP 20.5K
40.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.38₩41.6K
$8.61COP 30.0K
218.00%
Apples(1kg)
$7.70₩11.7K
$2.25COP 7,844
242.22%
Banana(1kg)
$3.26₩4,953
$1.07COP 3,733
204.67%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.62₩8,540
$1.52COP 5,322
269.74%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.37₩8,152
$1.42COP 4,964
278.17%
Potato(1kg)
$3.96₩6,013
$1.17COP 4,084
238.46%
Onion(1kg)
$2.82₩4,286
$1.17COP 4,077
141.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.19₩3,325
$0.89COP 3,096
146.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15₩1,747
$0.90COP 3,146
27.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.33₩5,064
$2.25COP 7,837
48.00%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.11₩24.5K
$11.04COP 38.5K
45.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79₩2,721
$1.14COP 3,977
57.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30₩5,014
$2.38COP 8,301
38.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Andong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.06₩1,606
$0.84COP 2,916
26.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.95COP 146.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.46₩5,259
$1.41COP 4,912
145.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.53₩800
$1.90COP 6,634
-72.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.90₩13.5K
$7.75COP 27.0K
14.84%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21₩1,845
$1.01COP 3,509
19.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K₩42.3M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
58.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K₩37.6M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
-6.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166₩251.6K
$83.7COP 292.1K
97.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.20₩51.9K
$9.45COP 33.0K
261.90%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$22.32₩33.9K
$24.11COP 84.1K
-7.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.62₩73.8K
$25.31COP 88.3K
92.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.14COP 66.8K
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.86₩16.5K
$4.10COP 14.3K
164.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$411₩624.8K
$312COP 1.1M
31.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.3K₩35.5M
$5,993COP 20.9M
289.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.1₩91.3K
$58.0COP 202.6K
3.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.32₩73.4K
$32.56COP 113.6K
48.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.0₩121.4K
$99.6COP 347.7K
-19.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117₩177.3K
$109COP 378.8K
7.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Andong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$461₩699.6K
$482COP 1.7M
-4.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$377₩572.8K
$379COP 1.3M
-0.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,048₩1.6M
$837COP 2.9M
25.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$755₩1.1M
$723COP 2.5M
4.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$8,255₩12.5M
$2,840COP 9.9M
190.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,611₩7.0M
$1,223COP 4.3M
276.97%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,659₩2.5M
$541COP 1.9M
206.80%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.14
13.43
-69.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Andong: June 6, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $461 in Andong and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Andong pays 207% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $37.00 in Andong vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $190 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.
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?
Medellin wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Andong. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Medellin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Andong or Medellin?
Andong pays 207% more on average, 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 vs Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $461 in Andong versus $482 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 Medellin?
Childcare runs $411 in Andong versus $312 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 vs Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $37.00 in Andong. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Andong or Medellin?
At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,421 in Andong, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Andong. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Andong or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Medellin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,017 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Medellin 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Andong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.