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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $805 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,342 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,880 in Aktau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 109% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Aktau is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$11.12 ₸4,987

-27.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$44.80 ₸20.1K

6.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.16 ₸4,553

-2.66%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.62 ₸1,174

19.47%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.78 ₸350

144.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.50 ₸225

202.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.31 ₸588

138.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.61 ₸720

257.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.49 ₸669

-3.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.45 ₸201

453.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.91 ₸858

-7.33%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.75 ₸785

69.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.91 ₸4,445

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.28 ₸1,921

136.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$8.81 ₸3,949

62.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.53 ₸684

170.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.35 ₸1,053

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.43 ₸1,090

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.85 ₸1,278

-21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.62 ₸279

229.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.58 ₸261

165.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.49 ₸667

-21.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.92 ₸415

42.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.74 ₸1,230

42.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.28 ₸4,163

50.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.73 ₸329

138.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$0.93 ₸417

208.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.16 ₸69.8

662.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.10 ₸494

19.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.69 ₸308

217.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.63 ₸284

117.46%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$31.3K ₸14.0M

14.32%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$45.48 ₸20.4K

289.84%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.21 ₸3,680

69.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$11.04 ₸4,950

169.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$37.14 ₸16.7K

20.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.11 ₸1,393

113.83%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$147 ₸65.9K

452.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$2,698 ₸1.2M

240.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$67.8 ₸30.4K

31.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$40.78 ₸18.3K

44.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$73.3 ₸32.8K

88.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$90.8 ₸40.7K

12.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$329 ₸147.3K

223.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$200 ₸89.6K

231.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$554 ₸248.3K

240.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$386 ₸173.2K

165.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$814 ₸365.1K

413.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$644 ₸288.7K

160.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$569 ₸255.2K

19.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-21.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Aktau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $329 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 19% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $202 – making Aktau 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

Medellin vs Aktau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 109% more than Aktau, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,207 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 51% 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 $805, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $805 versus $1,681 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.