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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $427 in Arak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $670 in Arak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $914 in Arak.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Arak 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$3.02 $3.02

95.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$13.75 $13.75

139.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$2.48 $2.48

199.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 $0.87

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.26 $1.26

30.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.36 $0.36

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.03 $1.03

-24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.63 $0.63

74.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.55 $0.55

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.93 $1.93

-28.50%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.01 $1.01

115.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$1.87 $1.87

140.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$1.84 $1.84

214.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.37 $8.37

7.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$0.84 $0.84

176.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.12 $1.12

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.63 $0.63

141.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.41 $0.41

231.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.39 $0.39

189.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.36 $0.36

225.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.34 $0.34

164.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.25 $0.25

260.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.77 $1.77

25.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.43 $0.43

97.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$9.97 $9.97

317.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.38 $0.38

273.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.11 $0.11

1672.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$1.21 $1.21

552.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.35 $0.35

182.86%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$44.0K $44.0K

-59.99%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$39.9K $39.9K

-32.83%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$10.12 $10.12

720.26%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$2.06 $2.06

370.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$5.70 $5.70

312.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$12.84 $12.84

96.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$16.31 $16.31

17.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$0.98 $0.98

303.06%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$60.9 $60.9

418.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,966 $1,966

203.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$12.78 $12.78

369.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$8.22 $8.22

287.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$45.13 $45.13

125.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$45.71 $45.71

135.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$307 $307

54.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$192 $192

95.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$488 $488

74.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$310 $310

132.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,361 $1,361

139.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$531 $531

171.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$379 $379

64.93%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Arak: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $307 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 65% 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 $193 vs $85.0 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.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $307 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $427 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 317% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $427 in Arak versus $1,003 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.