Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $497 in Kabul versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Kabul versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $879 in Kabul versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Kabul costs roughly 70% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kabul is 64% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ؋175

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-66.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$7.80 ؋502

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-83.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.68 ؋301

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-52.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.37 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ؋118

Cappuccino

$1.11 ؋71.6

$3.13 COP 9,767

-64.54%

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

$0.46 ؋29.45

$1.91 COP 5,954

-75.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 ؋10.33

$1.51 COP 4,712

-89.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 ؋52.3

$1.44 COP 4,509

-43.75%

White Bread (500g)

$0.25 ؋16.09

$2.49 COP 7,759

-89.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 ؋118

$1.77 COP 5,535

3.95%

Eggs

$1.52 ؋97.9

$2.96 COP 9,235

-48.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 ؋287

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-55.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.08 ؋263

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-59.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.70 ؋431

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-53.15%

Apples (1kg)

$0.67 ؋43.42

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-83.82%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 ؋55.1

$1.61 COP 5,019

-46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ؋56.8

$2.25 COP 7,007

-60.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 ؋35.30

$2.25 COP 7,028

-75.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ؋38.69

$2.04 COP 6,375

-70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 ؋30.56

$1.54 COP 4,790

-69.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 ؋17.96

$1.17 COP 3,651

-76.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 ؋23.65

$1.31 COP 4,077

-71.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 ؋121

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ؋48.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 ؋151

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-39.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ؋10.46

$1.22 COP 3,792

-86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.69 ؋1,331

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-74.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 ؋130

$1.31 COP 4,084

54.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 ؋28.76

$2.19 COP 6,825

-79.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 ؋172

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-69.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 ؋66.8

$1.37 COP 4,260

-24.09%

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

$8,583 ؋552.2K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-69.17%

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

$34.8K ؋2.2M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-2.81%

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

$43.02 ؋2,768

$177 COP 553.2K

-75.74%

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

$12.87 ؋828

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-7.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$96.6 ؋6,213

$29.72 COP 92.8K

224.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.93 ؋703

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-75.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.02 ؋259

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-76.52%

Cinema Ticket

$2.25 ؋145

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-66.17%

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

$20.40 ؋1,313

$813 COP 2.5M

-97.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,036 ؋66.7K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-88.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.77 ؋693

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-87.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.95 ؋1,027

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-72.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.7 ؋3,775

$138 COP 431.2K

-57.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.65 ؋1,586

$102 COP 318.7K

-75.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$122 ؋7,822

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-88.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$107 ؋6,861

$663 COP 2.1M

-83.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 ؋14.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-88.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 ؋7,438

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-88.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$689 ؋44.3K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-83.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$366 ؋23.5K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-78.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ؋21.9K

$678 COP 2.1M

-49.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Kabul: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $122 in Kabul and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 100% 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: $8.00 in Kabul vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $101 vs $305 per month, with Kabul 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

Kabul vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kabul and Medellin differ by about 238% in total monthly costs ($497 vs $1,681 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 100% 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: $122 in Kabul versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 289% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $20.40 in Kabul versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $497 in Kabul versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul 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.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.