Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaka and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaka and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,188 per month in Kaka vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Kaka vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,360 per month in Kaka vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Kaka costs about 30% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kaka and Medellin sit above the global median – Kaka by 60%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.57 TMT 106

$8.02 COP 25.0K

293.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 TMT 292

$47.87 COP 149.4K

82.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 TMT 43.46

$9.89 COP 30.8K

31.14%

Cappuccino

$6.95 TMT 23.30

$3.13 COP 9,767

122.04%

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

$1.56 TMT 5.22

$1.91 COP 5,954

-18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TMT 2.77

$1.51 COP 4,712

-45.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 TMT 19.35

$3.12 COP 9,747

85.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.80 TMT 46.24

$5.75 COP 17.9K

140.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 TMT 14.73

$1.44 COP 4,509

205.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 7.00

$2.49 COP 7,759

-16.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 TMT 19.07

$1.77 COP 5,535

221.47%

Eggs

$5.95 TMT 19.92

$2.96 COP 9,235

101.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.71 TMT 126

$10.07 COP 31.4K

274.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.20 TMT 67.7

$10.12 COP 31.6K

99.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.26 TMT 77.9

$14.30 COP 44.6K

62.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 TMT 17.30

$4.14 COP 12.9K

24.64%

Banana (1kg)

$8.31 TMT 27.84

$1.61 COP 5,019

416.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.58 TMT 25.39

$2.25 COP 7,007

236.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 TMT 12.52

$2.25 COP 7,028

66.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 TMT 7.86

$2.04 COP 6,375

14.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 TMT 4.93

$1.54 COP 4,790

-4.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 TMT 9.14

$1.17 COP 3,651

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.75

$1.31 COP 4,077

-14.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.58 TMT 85.7

$3.90 COP 12.2K

555.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.35 TMT 139

$14.01 COP 43.7K

195.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 TMT 17.39

$1.74 COP 5,439

198.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TMT 9.34

$2.87 COP 8,956

-2.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 TMT 9.33

$1.31 COP 4,084

112.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 TMT 2.83

$2.19 COP 6,825

-61.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 TMT 29.54

$8.71 COP 27.2K

1.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$1.37 COP 4,260

-70.07%

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

$43.7K TMT 146.5K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

57.13%

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

$57.5K TMT 192.7K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

60.78%

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

$561 TMT 1,880

$177 COP 553.2K

216.47%

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

$58.2 TMT 195

$13.88 COP 43.3K

319.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

$29.72 COP 92.8K

248.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 TMT 29.52

$6.65 COP 20.7K

32.48%

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

$23.08 TMT 77.3

$813 COP 2.5M

-97.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K TMT 83.3K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

170.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-38.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$113 TMT 379

$59.0 COP 184.0K

91.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$361 TMT 1,208

$138 COP 431.2K

160.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 TMT 642

$102 COP 318.7K

87.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

10.94

-13.16%

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

Last update for Kaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Kaka versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kaka vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaka costs about 30% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,282 per month in Kaka and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,188 in Kaka and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $23.08 per month in Kaka and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Kaka at $2,188. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $2,188 in Kaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.