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: $646 in Cahul versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $938 in Cahul versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,230 in Cahul versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Cahul costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cahul is 53% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.56 MDL 148

$8.02 COP 25.0K

6.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.96 MDL 415

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-49.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MDL 189

$9.89 COP 30.8K

10.21%

Cappuccino

$1.76 MDL 30.52

$3.13 COP 9,767

-43.77%

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

$1.13 MDL 19.52

$1.91 COP 5,954

-40.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 MDL 10.39

$1.51 COP 4,712

-60.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 MDL 34.30

$3.12 COP 9,747

-36.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 MDL 31.23

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-68.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.33

$1.44 COP 4,509

-10.42%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.76

$2.49 COP 7,759

-79.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MDL 27.52

$1.77 COP 5,535

-10.17%

Eggs

$2.34 MDL 40.49

$2.96 COP 9,235

-20.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.11 MDL 123

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-29.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 MDL 83.6

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-52.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.26 MDL 109

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-56.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 MDL 17.74

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-75.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 MDL 39.22

$1.61 COP 5,019

40.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 MDL 32.58

$2.25 COP 7,007

-16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MDL 41.83

$2.25 COP 7,028

7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MDL 12.55

$2.04 COP 6,375

-64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 MDL 8.59

$1.54 COP 4,790

-67.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 MDL 8.23

$1.17 COP 3,651

-59.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MDL 9.84

$1.31 COP 4,077

-56.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.55 MDL 61.6

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.72 MDL 81.7

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-66.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 MDL 25.45

$1.74 COP 5,439

-15.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 MDL 35.84

$2.87 COP 8,956

-27.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MDL 4.82

$1.22 COP 3,792

-77.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 MDL 51.2

$1.31 COP 4,084

125.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.31

$2.19 COP 6,825

-88.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 MDL 102

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-32.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 MDL 25.95

$1.37 COP 4,260

9.49%

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

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

26.05%

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

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-30.70%

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

$234 MDL 4,048

$177 COP 553.2K

31.76%

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

$7.85 MDL 136

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-43.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.46 MDL 199

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-61.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.95 MDL 138

$6.65 COP 20.7K

19.55%

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

$117 MDL 2,021

$813 COP 2.5M

-85.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-40.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.87 MDL 812

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-47.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.9 MDL 987

$138 COP 431.2K

-58.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.8 MDL 897

$102 COP 318.7K

-49.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$527 MDL 9,129

$678 COP 2.1M

-22.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-26.87%

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

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 29% 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: $24.00 in Cahul vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $305 per month, with Cahul 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 160% 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 29% 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 80% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $646 per month in Cahul versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $646 in Cahul versus $1,681 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 $646 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 160% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.