Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aktau Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aktau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $714 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,184 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,655 in Aktau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Aktau 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.84 ₸4,666

-39.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$39.52 ₸18.7K

-16.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$8.85 ₸4,197

-16.05%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.21 ₸1,047

-25.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.51 ₸242

115.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.40 ₸192

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.20 ₸569

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.33 ₸631

139.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.20 ₸568

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.38 ₸181

231.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.61 ₸765

-14.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.44 ₸682

51.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.91 ₸4,225

-49.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.95 ₸1,872

46.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.52 ₸3,565

19.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.34 ₸636

73.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.09 ₸991

-49.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.14 ₸1,015

-28.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.46 ₸1,168

-44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.56 ₸263

101.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.47 ₸222

148.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.29 ₸612

-30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.87 ₸413

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.38 ₸1,130

-6.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.78 ₸4,164

38.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.67 ₸318

77.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.81 ₸385

206.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.15 ₸72.9

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.97 ₸458

46.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.62 ₸295

214.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.75 ₸2,251

66.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.46 ₸220

115.22%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.3K ₸9.6M

-13.48%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.0K ₸11.9M

7.18%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$40.64 ₸19.3K

104.26%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.71 ₸3,656

25.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.29 ₸4,404

153.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$31.69 ₸15.0K

-20.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.79 ₸1,322

41.58%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$129 ₸61.3K

144.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,385 ₸1.1M

150.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$58.4 ₸27.7K

2.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.67 ₸16.9K

-10.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$62.5 ₸29.6K

62.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$79.7 ₸37.8K

34.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$253 ₸120.1K

87.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$177 ₸84.1K

110.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$445 ₸210.8K

90.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$367 ₸173.9K

96.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$755 ₸358.1K

332.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$609 ₸288.7K

136.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$538 ₸255.0K

16.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $253 in Aktau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 16% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Aktau. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $178 in Aktau – so Aktau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 40% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,071 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $714 versus $1,003 in Medellin. 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 Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.