Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Elbasan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $916 per month in Elbasan vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,471 per month in Elbasan vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,026 per month in Elbasan vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Elbasan is about 11% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Elbasan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.24 ALL 755

$5.92 COP 21.5K

56.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 ALL 2,606

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-2.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 ALL 587

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-0.28%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$1.70 COP 6,186

5.88%

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

$1.27 ALL 103

$1.10 COP 3,996

15.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 ALL 55.4

$0.72 COP 2,625

-5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.67 COP 6,067

4.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 ALL 194

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ALL 150

$1.06 COP 3,837

73.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.0

$1.25 COP 4,531

-26.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ALL 128

$1.39 COP 5,060

12.23%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 238

$2.26 COP 8,229

28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.77 ALL 798

$4.33 COP 15.8K

125.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.34 ALL 436

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-8.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.41 ALL 1,014

$8.83 COP 32.1K

40.54%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 ALL 74.6

$2.24 COP 8,159

-59.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.08 COP 3,911

119.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 ALL 103

$1.53 COP 5,563

-17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 ALL 73.1

$1.37 COP 4,987

-35.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ALL 75.4

$1.13 COP 4,109

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ALL 88.9

$1.12 COP 4,067

-2.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ALL 80.4

$0.85 COP 3,080

15.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ALL 49.08

$0.91 COP 3,305

-34.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ALL 326

$2.33 COP 8,477

71.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ALL 673

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-25.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ALL 75.4

$1.19 COP 4,342

-22.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 119

$2.37 COP 8,617

-38.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.68

$0.79 COP 2,859

-43.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 ALL 1,525

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-54.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 294

$1.44 COP 5,223

150.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.91 COP 6,952

-32.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.36 ALL 1,174

$8.02 COP 29.2K

79.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.11 ALL 172

$0.94 COP 3,410

124.47%

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

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

17.35%

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

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

2.68%

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

$67.2 ALL 5,492

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-19.95%

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

$17.26 ALL 1,411

$9.60 COP 34.9K

79.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.29 ALL 1,249

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ALL 5,364

$25.88 COP 94.1K

153.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.37 ALL 1,338

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-14.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.43 ALL 443

$3.92 COP 14.2K

38.52%

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

$139 ALL 11.4K

$306 COP 1.1M

-54.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,789 ALL 146.2K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-69.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ALL 8,518

$57.9 COP 210.6K

80.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.21 ALL 2,796

$31.82 COP 115.7K

7.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.8 ALL 7,667

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$180 ALL 14.7K

$107 COP 389.7K

67.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$289 ALL 23.6K

$487 COP 1.8M

-40.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 ALL 16.2K

$368 COP 1.3M

-46.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ALL 34.4K

$826 COP 3.0M

-49.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.5K

$716 COP 2.6M

-58.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,362 ALL 111.3K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-53.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$847 ALL 69.2K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-39.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 45.0K

$546 COP 2.0M

0.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

13.43

-54.58%

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

Last update for Elbasan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Elbasan versus $487 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Elbasan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $207 in Elbasan vs $190 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Elbasan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,374 per month in Elbasan and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 9% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Elbasan and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.