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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $697 in Cahul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,101 in Cahul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,505 in Cahul.

Living in Medellin is roughly 45% more expensive than Cahul, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cahul 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.63 MDL 148

-30.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$36.47 MDL 626

-9.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.53 MDL 129

-5.84%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.88 MDL 32.27

-9.04%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.98 MDL 16.91

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.68 MDL 11.72

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.78 MDL 30.57

-5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.32 MDL 39.82

32.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.29 MDL 22.11

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.52 MDL 8.95

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.45 MDL 24.85

-4.83%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.59 MDL 44.51

-15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$10.47 MDL 180

-57.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.54 MDL 95.2

1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.04 MDL 155

-1.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$0.90 MDL 15.53

160.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.82 MDL 31.27

-41.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.73 MDL 29.63

-13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.14 MDL 36.69

-35.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.83 MDL 14.18

38.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.59 MDL 10.11

96.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.35 MDL 23.22

-34.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.82 MDL 14.04

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.15 MDL 54.0

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$4.75 MDL 81.6

124.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.26 MDL 21.60

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.98 MDL 34.06

24.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.08 MDL 35.79

-29.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.27 MDL 4.66

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.21 MDL 89.4

48.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.41 MDL 24.29

-32.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$31.7K MDL 543.9K

-42.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$31.3K MDL 537.9K

-15.46%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$173 MDL 2,965

-52.38%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.41 MDL 127

28.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$10.80 MDL 185

124.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.49 MDL 129

-47.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$384 MDL 6,598

-19.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,544 MDL 129.5K

-20.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$65.6 MDL 1,126

-10.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$54.5 MDL 935

-40.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$115 MDL 1,970

-10.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$123 MDL 2,110

-11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$523 MDL 8,988

-2.24%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cahul: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Cahul pays 2% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $36.00 in Cahul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $192 per month, with Medellin 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 45% 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.

On paper, Cahul earns 2% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $697 in Cahul – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $697 in Cahul versus $1,013 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 $697 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 45% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.