Cost of Living Comparison Between Erdenet and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Erdenet and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $604 in Erdenet versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $852 in Erdenet versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,100 in Erdenet versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Erdenet costs roughly 41% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erdenet 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-37.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.70 MNT 106.4K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-8.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-39.51%

Cappuccino

$1.57 MNT 5,627

$1.72 COP 5,600

-8.72%

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

$0.64 MNT 2,283

$1.05 COP 3,420

-39.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MNT 1,419

$0.77 COP 2,515

-48.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 MNT 4,367

$1.69 COP 5,488

-27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MNT 4,779

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-58.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 MNT 3,640

$1.05 COP 3,423

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MNT 2,581

$1.30 COP 4,236

-44.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MNT 6,434

$1.40 COP 4,544

28.57%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,775

$2.16 COP 7,047

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

122.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-56.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 MNT 8,973

$2.28 COP 7,426

9.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 MNT 7,527

$1.11 COP 3,604

89.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MNT 9,372

$1.53 COP 4,983

71.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 MNT 7,244

$1.35 COP 4,410

49.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,595

$1.13 COP 3,674

-36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 MNT 3,581

$1.13 COP 3,692

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 MNT 3,022

$0.85 COP 2,753

-1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 MNT 2,487

$0.91 COP 2,975

-24.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

$2.34 COP 7,630

23.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-54.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MNT 4,139

$1.20 COP 3,909

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MNT 4,716

$2.49 COP 8,104

-46.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 MNT 349

$0.84 COP 2,728

-88.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-88.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 MNT 1,638

$1.42 COP 4,623

-67.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MNT 2,431

$1.92 COP 6,235

-64.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-31.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 MNT 3,299

$0.99 COP 3,223

-7.07%

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

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-32.03%

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

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-60.60%

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

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-24.16%

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

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-70.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-38.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

0.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-76.71%

Cinema Ticket

$2.63 MNT 9,411

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-33.92%

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

$193 MNT 690.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

-36.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-56.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-50.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-9.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.2 MNT 312.3K

$101 COP 327.9K

-13.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MNT 320.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

-16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$174 MNT 622.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-63.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$131 MNT 470.1K

$376 COP 1.2M

-65.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 MNT 2.1M

$845 COP 2.7M

-31.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$225 MNT 805.3K

$617 COP 2.0M

-63.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $174 in Erdenet and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 175% 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: $30.00 in Erdenet vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $180 vs $193 per month, with Erdenet 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

Erdenet vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Erdenet and Medellin differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($604 vs $1,031 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 175% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $174 in Erdenet versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $193 in Erdenet versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $604 in Erdenet versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Erdenet but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Erdenet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Erdenet 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 Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.