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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $909 per month in Elbasan vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,431 per month in Elbasan vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,953 per month in Elbasan vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Elbasan is about 46% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Elbasan sits 34% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.89 ALL 784

$8.02 COP 25.5K

23.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.18 ALL 3,026

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-20.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.97 ALL 553

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-29.52%

Cappuccino

$1.74 ALL 138

$3.13 COP 9,941

-44.41%

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

$1.42 ALL 112

$1.91 COP 6,061

-25.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 ALL 55.7

$1.51 COP 4,796

-53.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.22 ALL 176

$3.12 COP 9,921

-28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ALL 228

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-49.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ALL 157

$1.44 COP 4,590

37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ALL 78.7

$2.49 COP 7,898

-60.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ALL 128

$1.77 COP 5,634

-8.47%

Eggs

$2.78 ALL 221

$2.96 COP 9,400

-6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.41 ALL 825

$10.07 COP 32.0K

3.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.95 ALL 472

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-41.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.51 ALL 912

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-19.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ALL 101

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-69.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 ALL 179

$1.61 COP 5,109

40.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ALL 112

$2.25 COP 7,132

-36.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ALL 88.7

$2.25 COP 7,154

-50.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 83.4

$2.04 COP 6,489

-48.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 ALL 84.6

$1.54 COP 4,876

-30.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ALL 63.8

$1.17 COP 3,716

-30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 53.1

$1.31 COP 4,150

-48.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 ALL 359

$3.90 COP 12.4K

16.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.20 ALL 650

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 ALL 85.7

$1.74 COP 5,536

-37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ALL 149

$2.87 COP 9,116

-34.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 38.21

$1.22 COP 3,860

-60.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.37 ALL 1,614

$80.5 COP 255.6K

-74.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.80 ALL 301

$1.31 COP 4,157

190.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 ALL 122

$2.19 COP 6,947

-29.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 ALL 1,207

$8.71 COP 27.7K

74.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 173

$1.37 COP 4,336

59.12%

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

$30.3K ALL 2.4M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

8.81%

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

$30.5K ALL 2.4M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-14.65%

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

$61.7 ALL 4,890

$177 COP 563.1K

-65.20%

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

$15.59 ALL 1,236

$13.88 COP 44.1K

12.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.04 ALL 954

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-59.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ALL 4,746

$44.88 COP 142.6K

33.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ALL 1,371

$17.12 COP 54.4K

1.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.33 ALL 343

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-34.89%

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

$147 ALL 11.7K

$813 COP 2.6M

-81.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,867 ALL 148.0K

$9,187 COP 29.2M

-79.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.5 ALL 6,058

$89.5 COP 284.3K

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 ALL 3,635

$59.0 COP 187.3K

-22.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ALL 7,749

$138 COP 439.0K

-29.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ALL 7,808

$102 COP 324.4K

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.2K

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-71.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ALL 16.3K

$663 COP 2.1M

-68.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ALL 35.3K

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-76.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$324 ALL 25.7K

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-68.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,392 ALL 110.3K

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-66.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$895 ALL 70.9K

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-46.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$559 ALL 44.3K

$678 COP 2.2M

-17.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

10.94

-44.24%

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

Last update for Elbasan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Elbasan versus $1,062 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 21% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Elbasan versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $216 vs $305 – making Elbasan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 85%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,364 per month in Elbasan and $2,521 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.

Groceries cost about 41% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Elbasan and $48.00 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 $909, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.