Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cahul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cahul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $646 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $938 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,230 in Cahul.

Living in Medellin is roughly 160% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Cahul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.56 MDL 148

-6.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$23.96 MDL 415

99.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.90 MDL 189

-9.27%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.76 MDL 30.52

77.84%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.13 MDL 19.52

69.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.60 MDL 10.39

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.98 MDL 34.30

57.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.80 MDL 31.23

219.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.29 MDL 22.33

11.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.51 MDL 8.76

388.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.59 MDL 27.52

11.32%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.34 MDL 40.49

26.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.11 MDL 123

41.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.83 MDL 83.6

109.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$6.26 MDL 109

128.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.02 MDL 17.74

305.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.26 MDL 39.22

-28.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.88 MDL 32.58

19.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.41 MDL 41.83

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.72 MDL 12.55

183.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.50 MDL 8.59

208.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.47 MDL 8.23

148.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.57 MDL 9.84

129.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$3.55 MDL 61.6

9.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$4.72 MDL 81.7

196.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.47 MDL 25.45

18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.07 MDL 35.84

38.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.28 MDL 4.82

335.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.95 MDL 51.2

-55.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.25 MDL 4.31

776.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.91 MDL 102

47.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.50 MDL 25.95

-8.67%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.1K MDL 608.1K

-20.67%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$24.8K MDL 429.6K

44.30%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$234 MDL 4,048

-24.10%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$7.85 MDL 136

76.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$11.46 MDL 199

159.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.95 MDL 138

-16.35%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$117 MDL 2,021

597.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$5,445 MDL 94.4K

68.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$46.87 MDL 812

90.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$56.9 MDL 987

142.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$51.8 MDL 897

97.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$527 MDL 9,129

28.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cahul: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 29% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $24.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $169 per month, with Cahul 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 Cahul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cahul wins on cost – living expenses run 160% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cahul the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 29% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $646 in Cahul – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $646 in Cahul versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cahul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cahul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cahul delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $646 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cahul hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Cahul 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 Cahul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 160% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.