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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $716 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,187 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,657 in Aktau, rent included.

Medellin costs about 42% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Aktau are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Aktau 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.02 ₸4,892

-40.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$39.56 ₸19.3K

-15.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.90 ₸4,348

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.26 ₸1,103

-27.88%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.55 ₸271

98.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.44 ₸215

65.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.20 ₸585

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.34 ₸656

141.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.20 ₸585

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.39 ₸189

230.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.71 ₸833

-22.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.44 ₸701

57.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.88 ₸4,336

-51.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.90 ₸1,902

50.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.60 ₸3,713

13.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.34 ₸655

67.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.99 ₸972

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.10 ₸1,026

-27.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.44 ₸1,190

-41.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.58 ₸286

101.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.51 ₸247

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.29 ₸631

-31.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.85 ₸417

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.41 ₸1,178

-6.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.97 ₸4,382

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.65 ₸316

75.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$0.77 ₸377

209.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.13 ₸62.1

546.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.93 ₸456

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.62 ₸301

206.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$4.62 ₸2,256

67.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.50 ₸244

102.00%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.3K ₸9.9M

-13.35%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.7K ₸12.1M

7.35%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$40.96 ₸20.0K

104.30%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.78 ₸3,801

21.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$9.42 ₸4,601

155.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$32.76 ₸16.0K

-22.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.82 ₸1,376

45.39%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$125 ₸60.9K

150.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,306 ₸1.1M

159.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$58.6 ₸28.6K

-0.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$34.88 ₸17.0K

-6.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$63.8 ₸31.1K

56.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$77.3 ₸37.8K

40.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$253 ₸123.6K

90.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$181 ₸88.5K

109.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$448 ₸219.0K

86.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$362 ₸176.7K

99.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$775 ₸378.3K

266.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$620 ₸302.8K

97.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$521 ₸254.5K

3.81%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Aktau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 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 4% 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 – $190 in Medellin vs $177 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 42% 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,075 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 7% 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 $716, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $716 versus $1,017 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.