Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arak Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Arak

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $433 in Arak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $668 in Arak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $903 in Arak.

Living in Medellin is roughly 135% more expensive than Arak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Arak 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.02 $3.02

97.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.08 $14.08

136.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.49 $2.49

190.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.89 $0.89

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.30 $1.30

25.38%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.39 $0.39

179.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.03 $1.03

-29.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.63 $0.63

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.53 $0.53

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.91 $1.91

-30.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$0.97 $0.97

134.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$1.86 $1.86

133.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$1.94 $1.94

203.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.49 $8.49

1.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.88 $0.88

155.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.14 $1.14

-6.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.64 $0.64

137.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.41 $0.41

246.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.39 $0.39

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.37 $0.37

216.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.34 $0.34

161.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.23 $0.23

291.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.63 $0.63

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.86 $1.86

20.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.42 $0.42

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$9.85 $9.85

325.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.35 $0.35

302.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.11 $0.11

1627.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.26 $1.26

515.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.37 $0.37

172.97%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$43.5K $43.5K

-59.56%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$39.6K $39.6K

-33.03%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$9.91 $9.91

744.40%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$1.97 $1.97

379.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.64 $5.64

327.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$12.89 $12.89

96.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$16.18 $16.18

18.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$0.98 $0.98

318.37%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$62.4 $62.4

400.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,995 $1,995

200.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$12.83 $12.83

352.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$7.78 $7.78

318.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$45.77 $45.77

117.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$45.39 $45.39

139.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$306 $306

57.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$193 $193

96.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$489 $489

71.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$306 $306

136.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,348 $1,348

110.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$534 $534

129.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$370 $370

46.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.33

-26.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Arak: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $306 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $86.0 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

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 Arak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arak is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $306 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $433 in Arak – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 326% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $433 in Arak versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Arak the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arak is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Arak are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.