Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aktobe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aktobe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $670 in Aktobe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,054 in Aktobe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in Aktobe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Aktobe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Aktobe are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Aktobe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.00 ₸3,764

-23.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.37 ₸13.8K

11.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.29 ₸2,961

16.69%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.78 ₸838

-3.37%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.44 ₸680

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.45 ₸214

71.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.60 ₸753

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.10 ₸990

50.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.10 ₸517

-4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.27 ₸128

381.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.06 ₸498

32.08%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.50 ₸708

44.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.04 ₸3,787

-45.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.78 ₸2,250

23.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.04 ₸3,316

22.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.42 ₸667

60.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.00 ₸940

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.39 ₸1,124

-35.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.90 ₸893

-28.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.80 ₸375

41.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.31 ₸147

264.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.82 ₸384

3.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.67 ₸316

35.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.89 ₸890

23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.40 ₸2,543

129.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.95 ₸449

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.53 ₸719

62.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.14 ₸66.3

500.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.01 ₸474

40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.96 ₸451

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.77 ₸2,244

60.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 ₸229

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.9K ₸8.4M

0.59%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$19.5K ₸9.2M

36.44%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$40.67 ₸19.1K

98.70%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.26 ₸4,832

-3.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.83 ₸5,099

123.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$29.27 ₸13.8K

-14.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.66 ₸4,549

98.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.78 ₸2,249

-16.74%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$215 ₸101.3K

41.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,819 ₸2.3M

25.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$35.04 ₸16.5K

65.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.64 ₸14.0K

8.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$91.0 ₸42.8K

10.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$62.8 ₸29.6K

71.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$218 ₸102.4K

119.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$186 ₸87.6K

102.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$354 ₸166.9K

138.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$279 ₸131.3K

161.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$777 ₸365.7K

313.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$510 ₸239.9K

169.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$510 ₸240.1K

20.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.39

-26.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Aktobe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $218 in Aktobe. 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 21% 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 $29.00 in Aktobe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $164 – making Aktobe 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 Aktobe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,005 in Aktobe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $670 in Aktobe. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $215 in Aktobe. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Aktobe, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Aktobe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Aktobe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Aktobe. 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.