Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Almaty Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Almaty

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,068 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,679 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,291 in Almaty, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Almaty 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.92 ₸3,660

-25.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$39.67 ₸18.3K

-17.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.66 ₸3,081

8.11%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.41 ₸1,116

-29.46%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.95 ₸440

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.57 ₸264

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.41 ₸652

18.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.89 ₸1,334

7.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.27 ₸586

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.54 ₸251

131.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.48 ₸686

-6.08%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.71 ₸793

32.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.62 ₸4,449

-54.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.46 ₸2,060

30.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.62 ₸3,526

15.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.34 ₸619

67.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.90 ₸878

-43.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.89 ₸874

-19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.00 ₸926

-31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.59 ₸272

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.42 ₸195

166.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.30 ₸601

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.70 ₸323

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.98 ₸915

17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.46 ₸3,912

31.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.84 ₸386

41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.14 ₸989

10.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.22 ₸102

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$17.79 ₸8,226

131.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.14 ₸526

26.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.67 ₸308

185.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.59 ₸2,122

74.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.49 ₸225

91.84%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$23.2K ₸10.7M

-22.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.5K ₸12.7M

-2.46%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$62.4 ₸28.8K

34.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.01 ₸4,166

6.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$13.41 ₸6,201

80.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$47.68 ₸22.0K

-45.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.81 ₸10.1K

-12.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.12 ₸2,366

-23.44%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$261 ₸120.9K

17.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$12.6K ₸5.8M

-53.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$85.8 ₸39.7K

-32.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$44.05 ₸20.4K

-27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$97.6 ₸45.1K

2.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$120 ₸55.6K

-10.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$653 ₸302.1K

-25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$417 ₸192.6K

-11.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,188 ₸549.5K

-30.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$753 ₸348.3K

-4.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,151 ₸994.3K

36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,319 ₸609.9K

6.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$816 ₸377.2K

-33.13%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Almaty: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $653 in Almaty. 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 50% higher in Almaty, 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 Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $182 in Almaty – so Almaty 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 Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Almaty is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,602 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,068 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Almaty at $1,068. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Almaty it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almaty makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.