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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,387 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,151 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $2,914 in Almaty, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Almaty sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Almaty by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$12.78 ₸5,840

-38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$45.00 ₸20.6K

-1.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.79 ₸4,017

5.69%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.16 ₸1,444

-8.23%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.27 ₸581

42.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.89 ₸409

74.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.65 ₸1,211

22.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.89 ₸1,776

51.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.71 ₸783

-19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.80 ₸368

206.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.09 ₸956

-27.75%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.31 ₸1,054

20.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$11.79 ₸5,389

-23.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.84 ₸3,126

55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$10.69 ₸4,884

36.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.85 ₸846

114.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.28 ₸1,043

-39.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.83 ₸1,292

-18.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.66 ₸1,218

-24.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.71 ₸326

194.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.54 ₸247

201.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.60 ₸733

-32.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.99 ₸451

26.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.62 ₸1,196

53.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$10.82 ₸4,944

24.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.17 ₸534

36.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.21 ₸1,012

35.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.27 ₸124

337.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$21.69 ₸9,912

268.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.35 ₸615

19.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.68 ₸309

213.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$10.65 ₸4,865

-20.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.69 ₸317

95.65%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$26.4K ₸12.1M

7.30%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$30.1K ₸13.8M

18.44%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$89.3 ₸40.8K

69.52%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$10.58 ₸4,837

23.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$16.64 ₸7,607

94.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$74.9 ₸34.2K

-38.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$29.59 ₸13.5K

-41.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$6.61 ₸3,022

-2.72%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$436 ₸199.3K

91.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$11.7K ₸5.4M

-24.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$93.4 ₸42.7K

-4.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$44.21 ₸20.2K

25.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$132 ₸60.5K

3.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$128 ₸58.7K

-14.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$794 ₸362.7K

19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$526 ₸240.4K

27.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,399 ₸639.3K

44.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$930 ₸424.8K

23.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,529 ₸1.2M

46.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,437 ₸657.0K

10.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$852 ₸389.2K

-26.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

20.57

-49.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Almaty: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $794 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 36% higher in Almaty, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Almaty. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $245 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 22%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,081 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $45.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $1,387 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 Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,387, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – 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 Almaty. 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.