Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Gjilan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $660 in Gjilan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,014 in Gjilan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,368 in Gjilan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Gjilan costs roughly 35% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Gjilan 51% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.32 €3.72

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.90 €17.11

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-39.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 €4.76

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$1.41 €1.21

$1.71 COP 6,115

-17.54%

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

$1.17 €1.01

$1.10 COP 3,924

6.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 €0.79

$0.78 COP 2,781

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 €1.26

$1.68 COP 5,997

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-55.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 €1.10

$1.09 COP 3,906

17.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.45 €0.39

$1.26 COP 4,508

-64.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 €1.21

$1.38 COP 4,922

2.17%

Eggs

$1.54 €1.33

$2.19 COP 7,827

-29.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.17 €5.31

$4.40 COP 15.7K

40.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 €4.20

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.54 €9.07

$8.89 COP 31.8K

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 €1.09

$2.34 COP 8,349

-46.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.06 COP 3,777

53.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 €1.20

$1.50 COP 5,374

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.38 COP 4,924

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 €0.67

$1.15 COP 4,111

-32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 €0.70

$1.16 COP 4,155

-30.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 €0.58

$0.89 COP 3,182

-24.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 €0.48

$0.84 COP 2,997

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 €3.06

$2.28 COP 8,145

56.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 €0.82

$1.20 COP 4,284

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 €1.23

$2.47 COP 8,824

-42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 €0.48

$0.86 COP 3,056

-36.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 €2.00

$1.47 COP 5,264

57.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 €0.46

$1.96 COP 7,009

-72.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 €5.05

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-24.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 €1.30

$0.95 COP 3,409

60.00%

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

$23.4K €20.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

29.03%

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

$25.0K €21.5K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-5.75%

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

$68.3 €58.7

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-16.98%

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

$10.53 €9.06

$9.50 COP 33.9K

10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.16 €16.48

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-20.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 €15.01

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-32.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 €3.90

$3.93 COP 14.0K

15.52%

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

$170 €146

$309 COP 1.1M

-45.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,932 €2,522

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.27 €33.78

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-33.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.91 €26.59

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-4.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.3 €47.55

$103 COP 366.4K

-46.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 €73.0

$108 COP 387.2K

-21.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$232 €199

$476 COP 1.7M

-51.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 €152

$379 COP 1.4M

-53.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 €392

$838 COP 3.0M

-45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 €294

$724 COP 2.6M

-52.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$944 €812

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-66.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 €625

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-40.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$471 €405

$512 COP 1.8M

-8.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Gjilan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $232 in Gjilan and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 9% 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: $20.00 in Gjilan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $188 per month, with Gjilan 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

Gjilan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gjilan and Medellin differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($660 vs $1,013 including rent). Gjilan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 9% 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: $232 in Gjilan versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $660 per month in Gjilan versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $660 in Gjilan versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Gjilan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Gjilan 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, Gjilan 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 Gjilan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.