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: $417 in Kabul versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $604 in Kabul versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $790 in Kabul versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Kabul costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 69% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.66 ؋175

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-56.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.83 ؋712

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-66.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ؋279

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-42.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋110

Cappuccino

$1.01 ؋66.6

$1.72 COP 5,592

-41.28%

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

$0.34 ؋22.04

$1.05 COP 3,416

-67.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 ؋9.87

$0.77 COP 2,511

-80.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋46.73

$1.05 COP 3,418

-32.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.17 ؋11.49

$1.30 COP 4,230

-86.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ؋112

$1.40 COP 4,538

21.43%

Eggs

$1.43 ؋94.1

$2.16 COP 7,037

-33.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.76 ؋247

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-14.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ؋215

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-44.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.91 ؋389

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-31.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.57 ؋37.42

$2.28 COP 7,415

-75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 ؋48.77

$1.11 COP 3,599

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.70 ؋45.92

$1.53 COP 4,976

-54.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.47 ؋30.95

$1.35 COP 4,405

-65.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.45 ؋29.46

$1.13 COP 3,669

-60.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ؋28.13

$1.13 COP 3,687

-61.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.25 ؋16.46

$0.85 COP 2,749

-70.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 ؋23.39

$0.91 COP 2,971

-60.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋61.9

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ؋101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.55 ؋168

$2.34 COP 7,619

8.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ؋13.80

$0.84 COP 2,724

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 ؋654

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-75.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ؋111

$1.42 COP 4,617

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 ؋34.44

$1.92 COP 6,227

-72.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.50 ؋164

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-67.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 ؋64.4

$0.99 COP 3,219

-1.01%

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

$7,814 ؋513.6K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

-56.66%

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

$31.9K ؋2.1M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

19.81%

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

$50.4 ؋3,310

$80.8 COP 262.7K

-37.68%

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

$14.12 ؋928

$9.95 COP 32.3K

41.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.5 ؋5,949

$24.18 COP 78.6K

274.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.10 ؋598

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-63.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.83 ؋252

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-80.00%

Cinema Ticket

$2.20 ؋145

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-44.72%

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

$18.59 ؋1,222

$305 COP 992.2K

-93.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,453 ؋95.5K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-76.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.12 ؋600

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-84.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.07 ؋1,122

$32.20 COP 104.7K

-46.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.63 ؋2,145

$101 COP 327.5K

-67.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.45 ؋1,805

$108 COP 350.3K

-74.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.4 ؋5,614

$477 COP 1.5M

-82.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.7 ؋3,795

$376 COP 1.2M

-84.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 ؋13.0K

$845 COP 2.7M

-76.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$110 ؋7,199

$730 COP 2.4M

-85.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$744 ؋48.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-76.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$407 ؋26.8K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-70.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$330 ؋21.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-46.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

13.43

37.75%

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

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.4 in Kabul and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 87% 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: $11.00 in Kabul vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $193 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 147% in total monthly costs ($417 vs $1,031 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 87% 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: $85.4 in Kabul versus $477 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 308% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $18.59 in Kabul versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $417 in Kabul versus $1,031 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 147% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.