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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $917 per month in Elbasan vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,433 per month in Elbasan vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,949 per month in Elbasan vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Elbasan is about 9% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Elbasan and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Elbasan 31% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.47 ALL 770

$5.91 COP 18.6K

60.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.67 ALL 2,655

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-0.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 ALL 579

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-4.17%

Cappuccino

$1.80 ALL 147

$1.65 COP 5,207

9.09%

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

$1.29 ALL 105

$1.10 COP 3,468

17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 60.5

$0.78 COP 2,458

-3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 ALL 147

$1.72 COP 5,412

5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 ALL 187

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-27.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ALL 146

$1.10 COP 3,474

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ALL 75.0

$1.26 COP 3,962

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 ALL 121

$1.38 COP 4,349

7.97%

Eggs

$3.00 ALL 244

$2.18 COP 6,858

37.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 ALL 787

$4.49 COP 14.1K

115.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.44 ALL 442

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-6.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.45 ALL 1,012

$8.97 COP 28.2K

38.80%

Apples (1kg)

$0.87 ALL 70.5

$2.32 COP 7,308

-62.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.06 COP 3,352

123.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ALL 102

$1.52 COP 4,774

-17.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.93 ALL 75.5

$1.36 COP 4,270

-31.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 81.7

$1.13 COP 3,552

-10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 ALL 83.8

$1.17 COP 3,689

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ALL 46.05

$0.90 COP 2,823

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 ALL 321

$2.23 COP 7,034

77.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.13 ALL 661

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-32.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.0

$1.19 COP 3,743

-24.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 ALL 116

$2.48 COP 7,815

-42.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ALL 39.02

$0.85 COP 2,687

-43.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.61 ALL 1,512

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-55.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 ALL 279

$1.42 COP 4,459

141.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ALL 104

$1.95 COP 6,141

-34.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.32 ALL 1,163

$7.89 COP 24.8K

81.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.18 ALL 177

$0.99 COP 3,118

120.20%

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

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

22.65%

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

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

3.24%

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

$66.8 ALL 5,425

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-19.58%

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

$17.59 ALL 1,429

$9.70 COP 30.5K

81.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.21 ALL 1,235

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-35.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.0 ALL 5,364

$25.26 COP 79.5K

161.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.18 ALL 1,314

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-15.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 ALL 461

$3.95 COP 12.4K

43.54%

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

$139 ALL 11.3K

$316 COP 994.2K

-56.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-70.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.58 ALL 3,866

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-20.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.42 ALL 2,797

$31.82 COP 100.2K

8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 ALL 7,760

$102 COP 320.1K

-6.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$179 ALL 14.5K

$107 COP 338.3K

66.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$286 ALL 23.2K

$475 COP 1.5M

-39.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ALL 15.7K

$374 COP 1.2M

-48.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 ALL 33.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

-51.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$296 ALL 24.0K

$719 COP 2.3M

-58.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-59.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$866 ALL 70.3K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-39.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$550 ALL 44.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

-11.86%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $286 in Elbasan versus $475 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 13% 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 $33.00 in Elbasan versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Elbasan vs $193 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 9%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,375 per month in Elbasan and $1,504 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 7% 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 $33.00 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 $917, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.