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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $696 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,085 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,474 in Cahul.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Cahul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.58 MDL 149

-28.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.74 MDL 640

-11.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.66 MDL 133

-4.18%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.82 MDL 31.67

-5.49%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.93 MDL 16.28

12.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.64 MDL 11.11

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.73 MDL 30.10

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.28 MDL 39.69

39.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.28 MDL 22.30

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.55 MDL 9.61

136.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.50 MDL 26.04

-6.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.51 MDL 43.73

-13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$10.43 MDL 182

-57.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.50 MDL 95.8

6.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.94 MDL 156

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.90 MDL 15.70

153.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.74 MDL 30.27

-36.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.77 MDL 30.74

-13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.10 MDL 36.56

-35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.77 MDL 13.46

46.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.55 MDL 9.54

105.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.36 MDL 23.65

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.84 MDL 14.66

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.28 MDL 57.1

-28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.57 MDL 79.6

170.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.22 MDL 21.28

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.98 MDL 34.44

25.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.02 MDL 35.24

-29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 MDL 4.72

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.30 MDL 92.3

44.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.43 MDL 24.83

-30.77%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.2K MDL 560.5K

-43.99%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.5K MDL 547.9K

-15.38%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$169 MDL 2,949

-52.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.74 MDL 135

28.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.68 MDL 186

126.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.58 MDL 132

-47.49%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$394 MDL 6,860

-22.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,562 MDL 131.7K

-19.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$65.3 MDL 1,138

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$54.4 MDL 947

-40.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 MDL 1,993

-11.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$121 MDL 2,107

-10.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$514 MDL 8,943

20.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cahul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 20% 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 $37.00 in Cahul. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $191, with Cahul cheaper for home cooking.

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 48% 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 20% 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 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $696 in Cahul – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Cahul versus $1,031 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 $696 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 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.