Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cahul and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Cahul versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Cahul versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Cahul versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.58 MDL 149

$6.16 COP 20.1K

39.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 MDL 640

$32.60 COP 106.1K

12.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.66 MDL 133

$7.34 COP 23.9K

4.36%

Cappuccino

$1.82 MDL 31.66

$1.72 COP 5,600

5.81%

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

$0.93 MDL 16.27

$1.05 COP 3,420

-11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 MDL 11.11

$0.77 COP 2,515

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 MDL 30.09

$1.69 COP 5,488

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.69

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-28.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 MDL 22.29

$1.05 COP 3,423

21.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 MDL 9.61

$1.30 COP 4,236

-57.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 MDL 26.03

$1.40 COP 4,544

7.14%

Eggs

$2.51 MDL 43.72

$2.16 COP 7,047

16.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.43 MDL 182

$4.39 COP 14.3K

137.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.50 MDL 95.8

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-6.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.94 MDL 156

$8.64 COP 28.1K

3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.70

$2.28 COP 7,426

-60.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MDL 30.27

$1.11 COP 3,604

56.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MDL 30.73

$1.53 COP 4,983

15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 MDL 36.56

$1.35 COP 4,410

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 MDL 13.46

$1.13 COP 3,674

-31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 MDL 9.53

$1.13 COP 3,692

-51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 MDL 23.65

$0.85 COP 2,753

60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 MDL 14.66

$0.91 COP 2,975

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 MDL 57.1

$2.34 COP 7,630

40.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 MDL 79.6

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 MDL 21.27

$1.20 COP 3,909

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.44

$2.49 COP 8,104

-20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 MDL 35.23

$1.42 COP 4,623

42.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.72

$1.92 COP 6,235

-85.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MDL 92.3

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-30.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 MDL 24.82

$0.99 COP 3,223

44.44%

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

$32.2K MDL 560.4K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

78.54%

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

$31.5K MDL 547.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

18.17%

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

$169 MDL 2,948

$80.8 COP 263.1K

109.57%

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

$7.74 MDL 135

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-22.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.68 MDL 186

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-55.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.58 MDL 132

$3.98 COP 13.0K

90.45%

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

$394 MDL 6,859

$305 COP 993.5K

29.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

24.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.3 MDL 1,137

$58.1 COP 189.2K

12.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 MDL 947

$32.20 COP 104.8K

68.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MDL 1,992

$101 COP 327.9K

13.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MDL 2,106

$108 COP 350.8K

12.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

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)

$514 MDL 8,942

$617 COP 2.0M

-16.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

13.43

-31.20%

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

Last update for Cahul: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 20% 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 Cahul vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $191 vs $193, with Cahul 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

Cahul vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 48% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $696 per month in Cahul versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $696 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Cahul 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.

Expats usually find Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.