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: $615 in Erdenet versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $862 in Erdenet versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,110 in Erdenet versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Erdenet costs roughly 39% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Erdenet 54% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 MNT 14.5K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-32.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.03 MNT 103.8K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-11.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.34 MNT 15.5K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-38.79%

Cappuccino

$1.59 MNT 5,696

$1.71 COP 6,115

-7.02%

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

$0.69 MNT 2,467

$1.10 COP 3,924

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MNT 1,407

$0.78 COP 2,781

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 MNT 4,393

$1.68 COP 5,997

-26.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MNT 4,735

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-57.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 MNT 3,576

$1.09 COP 3,906

-8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 MNT 2,586

$1.26 COP 4,508

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MNT 6,419

$1.38 COP 4,922

30.43%

Eggs

$2.13 MNT 7,621

$2.19 COP 7,827

-2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.84 MNT 35.2K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

123.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 MNT 18.1K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-10.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.97 MNT 14.2K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-55.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 MNT 8,803

$2.34 COP 8,349

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 MNT 7,248

$1.06 COP 3,777

91.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.62 MNT 9,373

$1.50 COP 5,374

74.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MNT 7,359

$1.38 COP 4,924

49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 MNT 2,730

$1.15 COP 4,111

-33.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 MNT 3,351

$1.16 COP 4,155

-18.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 MNT 3,229

$0.89 COP 3,182

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 MNT 2,442

$0.84 COP 2,997

-19.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.00 MNT 10.7K

$2.28 COP 8,145

31.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.74 MNT 20.5K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 MNT 4,144

$1.20 COP 4,284

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 MNT 4,864

$2.47 COP 8,824

-44.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.10 MNT 359

$0.86 COP 3,056

-88.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.68 MNT 16.7K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-88.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.43 MNT 1,525

$1.47 COP 5,264

-70.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 MNT 2,446

$1.96 COP 7,009

-65.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.33 MNT 19.1K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-31.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 MNT 3,131

$0.95 COP 3,409

-7.37%

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

$12.6K MNT 44.9M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-30.73%

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

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-60.32%

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

$63.4 MNT 226.6K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-22.97%

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

$2.86 MNT 10.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-69.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.88 MNT 53.2K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-38.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.77 MNT 88.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-4.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.36 MNT 15.6K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-77.05%

Cinema Ticket

$2.72 MNT 9,738

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-30.79%

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

$195 MNT 696.1K

$309 COP 1.1M

-37.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,663 MNT 9.5M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-55.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.04 MNT 103.8K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-50.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 MNT 106.9K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-7.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.1 MNT 322.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-12.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MNT 319.1K

$108 COP 387.2K

-17.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 MNT 642.5K

$476 COP 1.7M

-62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 MNT 482.5K

$379 COP 1.4M

-64.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$838 COP 3.0M

-28.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 MNT 790.1K

$512 COP 1.8M

-56.83%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Erdenet and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 132% 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: $29.00 in Erdenet vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $188 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 65% in total monthly costs ($615 vs $1,013 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 132% less. 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: $180 in Erdenet versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $195 in Erdenet versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $615 in Erdenet versus $1,013 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 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.