Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Berat

For one person, living is cheaper in Berat: $1,147 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Berat
🇦🇱 Albania
$1,147
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Berat

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Berat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,147 in Berat, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Berat $1,147

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,701 in Berat, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Berat $1,701

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,256 in Berat, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Berat $2,256

Medellin costs about 39% more than Berat, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Berat is 14% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
$9.69 ALL 788
-17.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.3K
$34.12 ALL 2,776
36.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
$8.37 ALL 681
12.66%
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,277
$1.85 ALL 151
57.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,585
$1.79 ALL 145
-2.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,218
$0.98 ALL 80.0
34.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,969
$2.71 ALL 221
15.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
$3.60 ALL 293
54.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,495
$2.03 ALL 165
-30.54%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,777
$1.16 ALL 94.2
110.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,191
$2.31 ALL 188
-29.44%
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,990
$3.03 ALL 246
-6.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
$11.01 ALL 896
-11.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
$8.31 ALL 676
12.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
$16.67 ALL 1,356
-19.26%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$1.92 ALL 156
108.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,719
$2.48 ALL 202
-40.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,768
$1.62 ALL 132
30.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,178
$1.43 ALL 116
57.34%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,092
$0.98 ALL 79.9
94.90%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,160
$1.25 ALL 101
29.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,658
$0.82 ALL 66.8
40.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,021
$0.70 ALL 56.8
80.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$4.66 ALL 379
-18.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
$10.19 ALL 829
28.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,083
$1.25 ALL 102
28.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,188
$1.49 ALL 121
51.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Berat
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,731
$0.36 ALL 29.07
225.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.0K
$19.80 ALL 1,611
278.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,056
$3.70 ALL 301
-65.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,531
$3.74 ALL 304
-45.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
$18.46 ALL 1,502
-55.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,046
$2.15 ALL 175
-40.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
$33.6K ALL 2.7M
-20.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.6M
$35.1K ALL 2.9M
-2.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 516.9K
$84.7 ALL 6,889
91.56%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
$18.04 ALL 1,467
-27.27%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
$19.88 ALL 1,617
41.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.2K
$54.8 ALL 4,457
-19.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.0K
$18.37 ALL 1,494
-11.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
$9.65 ALL 785
-36.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$185 ALL 15.1K
313.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
$1,810 ALL 147.3K
391.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
$48.80 ALL 3,971
74.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
$47.56 ALL 3,870
20.88%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 419.8K
$120 ALL 9,769
9.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.1K
$116 ALL 9,398
-17.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Berat
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
$468 ALL 38.1K
119.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
$332 ALL 27.0K
82.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
$690 ALL 56.1K
161.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
$465 ALL 37.8K
113.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
$1,837 ALL 149.5K
113.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
$1,225 ALL 99.6K
33.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Berat
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
$794 ALL 64.6K
-21.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
4.75
130.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Berat: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Berat
$332 45.1% $272
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Berat
$263 8.9% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Berat
$123 39.7% $81
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Berat
$149 10.3% $17
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Berat
$157 5.8% $9.7
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Berat
$44 52.2% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Berat
$74 31.1% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $468 in Berat. 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 27% higher in Berat, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Berat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $263 – making Berat the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇱 Berat
🕒 Local time
01:21 1:21 AM
08:21 8:21 AM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
32,606
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 81.36 ALL (100 ALL = 1.23 USD). 1 EUR = 91.25 ALL (100 ALL = 1.1 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Berat 10,020 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Berat

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Berat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berat cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,720 in Berat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Berat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Berat?
Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Berat?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $34.00 in Berat. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Berat?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Berat, where all-in costs run around $1,147, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Berat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Berat more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Berat – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Berat. 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.

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