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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,079 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,692 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,306 in Almaty, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than Almaty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Almaty are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Almaty 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$7.89 ₸3,848

-23.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$38.52 ₸18.8K

-14.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$6.68 ₸3,254

11.08%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.30 ₸1,119

-28.26%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.98 ₸480

9.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.54 ₸262

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.40 ₸682

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$3.01 ₸1,470

6.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.31 ₸640

-19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.56 ₸271

133.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.47 ₸718

-8.84%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.77 ₸865

23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$9.58 ₸4,673

-53.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.63 ₸2,258

22.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$7.59 ₸3,701

12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.35 ₸660

73.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.88 ₸915

-40.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.87 ₸910

-18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$2.02 ₸983

-32.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.62 ₸304

85.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.43 ₸208

174.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.28 ₸625

-34.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.75 ₸365

14.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$1.90 ₸925

18.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$10.38 ₸5,060

11.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$0.82 ₸402

46.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.07 ₸1,011

19.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.24 ₸117

229.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$18.32 ₸8,930

122.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.19 ₸579

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.72 ₸353

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$4.72 ₸2,300

64.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.48 ₸235

110.42%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$23.3K ₸11.4M

-24.22%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$27.3K ₸13.3M

-2.96%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$62.9 ₸30.7K

28.89%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$8.86 ₸4,322

6.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$13.55 ₸6,605

76.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$47.77 ₸23.3K

-45.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$21.23 ₸10.4K

-11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$5.35 ₸2,606

-23.55%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$266 ₸129.7K

18.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$13.1K ₸6.4M

-53.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$85.9 ₸41.9K

-30.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$43.79 ₸21.4K

-26.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$100 ₸48.8K

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$119 ₸57.8K

-11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$644 ₸313.9K

-24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$410 ₸200.0K

-11.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$1,191 ₸580.8K

-30.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$756 ₸368.6K

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,179 ₸1.1M

37.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,283 ₸625.5K

2.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$775 ₸377.8K

-28.92%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $644 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 41% 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 $39.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $188 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 5%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,618 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 $39.00 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 $1,028 in Medellin and $1,079 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 $1,028, than in Almaty at $1,079. 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.