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: $697 in Cahul versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,101 in Cahul versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,505 in Cahul versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cahul 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.63 MDL 148

$5.99 COP 21.4K

44.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.47 MDL 626

$32.86 COP 117.2K

10.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.53 MDL 129

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.21%

Cappuccino

$1.88 MDL 32.27

$1.71 COP 6,105

9.94%

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

$0.98 MDL 16.91

$1.10 COP 3,918

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.72

$0.78 COP 2,776

-12.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 MDL 30.57

$1.68 COP 5,987

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MDL 39.82

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-24.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.11

$1.09 COP 3,899

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 MDL 8.95

$1.26 COP 4,500

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.45 MDL 24.85

$1.38 COP 4,914

5.07%

Eggs

$2.59 MDL 44.51

$2.19 COP 7,813

18.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.47 MDL 180

$4.40 COP 15.7K

137.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.54 MDL 95.2

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-1.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.04 MDL 155

$8.89 COP 31.7K

1.69%

Apples (1kg)

$0.90 MDL 15.53

$2.34 COP 8,334

-61.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MDL 31.27

$1.06 COP 3,771

71.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 MDL 29.63

$1.50 COP 5,365

15.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MDL 36.69

$1.38 COP 4,915

55.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 MDL 14.18

$1.15 COP 4,104

-27.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 MDL 10.11

$1.16 COP 4,148

-49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 MDL 23.22

$0.89 COP 3,176

51.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 MDL 14.04

$0.84 COP 2,992

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 MDL 54.0

$2.28 COP 8,131

38.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.75 MDL 81.6

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-55.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 MDL 21.60

$1.20 COP 4,276

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 MDL 34.06

$2.47 COP 8,809

-19.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.08 MDL 35.79

$1.47 COP 5,255

41.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.27 MDL 4.66

$1.96 COP 6,997

-86.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.21 MDL 89.4

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-32.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 MDL 24.29

$0.95 COP 3,403

48.42%

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

$31.7K MDL 543.9K

$18.1K COP 64.6M

74.71%

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

$31.3K MDL 537.9K

$26.5K COP 94.4M

18.28%

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

$173 MDL 2,965

$82.3 COP 293.2K

109.98%

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

$7.41 MDL 127

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-22.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 MDL 185

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-55.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 MDL 129

$3.93 COP 14.0K

90.59%

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

$384 MDL 6,598

$309 COP 1.1M

24.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,544 MDL 129.5K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

26.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 MDL 1,126

$58.7 COP 209.1K

11.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.5 MDL 935

$32.35 COP 115.3K

68.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MDL 1,970

$103 COP 365.7K

11.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MDL 2,110

$108 COP 386.5K

13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$523 MDL 8,988

$512 COP 1.8M

2.29%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Cahul vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $188 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

Cahul vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 45% 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.

Cahul pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $697 per month in Cahul versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,013 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 $697 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 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.