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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $430 in Arak.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $669 in Arak.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $907 in Arak.

Living in Medellin is roughly 140% more expensive than Arak, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Arak 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.97 $2.97

99.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$13.74 $13.74

138.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$2.56 $2.56

181.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 $0.88

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.27 $1.27

33.86%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.36 $0.36

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.04 $1.04

-30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.63 $0.63

68.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.58 $0.58

115.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.94 $1.94

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.02 $1.02

121.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$1.89 $1.89

129.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$1.93 $1.93

202.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.59 $8.59

2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.88 $0.88

154.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.11 $1.11

-2.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$0.58 $0.58

163.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.41 $0.41

234.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.39 $0.39

189.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.37 $0.37

202.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.34 $0.34

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.23 $0.23

295.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.03 $1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 $0.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.80 $1.80

29.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.43 $0.43

83.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$9.97 $9.97

312.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.37 $0.37

289.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.09 $0.09

2022.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.21 $1.21

562.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.35 $0.35

168.57%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$43.0K $43.0K

-58.28%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$39.9K $39.9K

-32.89%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$10.17 $10.17

725.57%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$2.06 $2.06

366.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$5.69 $5.69

324.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$13.09 $13.09

97.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.11 $16.11

18.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$0.98 $0.98

300.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$62.1 $62.1

393.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,967 $1,967

200.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$12.86 $12.86

350.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$8.21 $8.21

287.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$44.82 $44.82

122.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$45.50 $45.50

135.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$315 $315

54.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$192 $192

91.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$479 $479

72.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$305 $305

134.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,370 $1,370

113.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$532 $532

164.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$323 $323

68.90%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Arak: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $315 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% 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 140% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 69% 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: $487 in Medellin versus $315 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $430 in Arak – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Arak runs roughly 313% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $430 in Arak versus $1,034 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 140% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.