😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,375 in Andong versus $1,034 in Medellin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Andong versus $1,577 in Medellin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,992 in Andong versus $2,120 in Medellin.
😐Living in Andong is roughly 33% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Andong is 3% above, Medellin is 23% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.30₩10.8K
$5.92COP 21.5K
23.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.06₩53.1K
$32.75COP 119.1K
10.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.33₩7,850
$7.20COP 26.2K
-25.97%
Cappuccino
$3.79₩5,579
$1.70COP 6,186
122.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57₩2,314
$1.10COP 3,996
42.73%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80₩1,185
$0.72COP 2,625
11.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.23₩4,761
$1.67COP 6,067
93.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.78₩7,042
$3.10COP 11.3K
54.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.17₩3,197
$1.06COP 3,837
104.72%
White Bread(500g)
$3.10₩4,564
$1.25COP 4,531
148.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.12₩4,596
$1.39COP 5,060
124.46%
Eggs
$2.89₩4,254
$2.26COP 8,229
27.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.60₩15.6K
$4.33COP 15.8K
144.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.47₩12.5K
$5.84COP 21.2K
45.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$27.49₩40.5K
$8.83COP 32.1K
211.33%
Apples(1kg)
$7.77₩11.4K
$2.24COP 8,159
246.87%
Banana(1kg)
$3.11₩4,589
$1.08COP 3,911
187.96%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.65₩8,331
$1.53COP 5,563
269.28%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.35₩7,883
$1.37COP 4,987
290.51%
Potato(1kg)
$4.03₩5,943
$1.13COP 4,109
256.64%
Onion(1kg)
$2.87₩4,230
$1.12COP 4,067
156.25%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.25₩3,321
$0.85COP 3,080
164.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.15₩1,694
$0.91COP 3,305
26.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.36₩4,952
$2.33COP 8,477
44.21%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.04₩22.2K
$11.13COP 40.5K
35.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79₩2,644
$1.19COP 4,342
50.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37₩4,969
$2.37COP 8,617
42.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Andong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.12₩1,644
$0.79COP 2,859
41.77%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$41.13COP 149.6K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.44₩5,064
$1.44COP 5,223
138.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56₩828
$1.91COP 6,952
-70.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.64₩12.7K
$8.02COP 29.2K
7.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.16₩1,705
$0.94COP 3,410
23.40%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.1K₩41.4M
$17.9KCOP 65.2M
56.87%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K₩36.5M
$26.8KCOP 97.4M
-7.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$165₩243.6K
$84.0COP 305.4K
96.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$34.65₩51.1K
$9.60COP 34.9K
260.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$21.97₩32.4K
$24.16COP 87.9K
-9.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.37₩71.3K
$25.88COP 94.1K
86.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$19.04COP 69.3K
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.89₩16.0K
$3.92COP 14.2K
177.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$419₩617.8K
$306COP 1.1M
36.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.4K₩34.4M
$5,919COP 21.5M
294.72%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9₩85.3K
$57.9COP 210.6K
-0.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.61₩68.7K
$31.82COP 115.7K
46.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.2₩119.6K
$99.9COP 363.3K
-18.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119₩174.8K
$107COP 389.7K
10.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Andong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$455₩669.8K
$487COP 1.8M
-6.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$375₩552.8K
$368COP 1.3M
1.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,069₩1.6M
$826COP 3.0M
29.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$764₩1.1M
$716COP 2.6M
6.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,688₩14.3M
$2,925COP 10.6M
231.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$6,216₩9.2M
$1,407COP 5.1M
341.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Andong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,695₩2.5M
$546COP 2.0M
210.78%
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: April 26, 2026
Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Andong and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Andong pays 211% 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: $36.00 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 33% 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 211% 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: $455 in Andong versus $487 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 $419 in Andong versus $306 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 $36.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,375 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 $1,034 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 33% less than in Andong. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.