Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cholpon-Ata Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cholpon-Ata

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $466 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $775 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,083 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 115% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Cholpon-Ata 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.32 KGS 553

-6.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$21.53 KGS 1,883

53.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.59 KGS 489

32.92%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.00 KGS 175

-17.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.63 KGS 55.5

74.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.33 KGS 28.43

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.21 KGS 105

42.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.77 KGS 154

79.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.95 KGS 83.1

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.44 KGS 38.26

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.60 KGS 140

-13.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.70 KGS 149

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.93 KGS 693

-43.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.90 KGS 428

18.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.15 KGS 713

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.04 KGS 91.1

123.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.91 KGS 167

-44.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.08 KGS 182

-26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.71 KGS 150

-20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 KGS 51.5

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.50 KGS 43.39

134.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.55 KGS 47.95

63.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.47 KGS 41.36

91.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.73 KGS 152

28.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.98 KGS 698

51.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.13 KGS 98.8

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.94 KGS 170

27.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.34 KGS 117

5.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.22 KGS 19.14

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.47 KGS 303

127.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.79 KGS 68.9

25.32%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$37.7K KGS 3.3M

-53.26%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$33.7K KGS 2.9M

-20.48%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$34.36 KGS 3,004

141.59%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.91 KGS 604

40.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.89 KGS 1,040

97.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.62 KGS 404

-14.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$201 KGS 17.6K

57.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,590 KGS 401.3K

30.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$36.75 KGS 3,213

63.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$40.22 KGS 3,516

-20.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.6 KGS 8,358

6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$102 KGS 8,923

5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.11

-33.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $170 – making Cholpon-Ata the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Cholpon-Ata: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $466 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 115% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $699 in Cholpon-Ata. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cholpon-Ata, where all-in costs run around $466, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Cholpon-Ata it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $466 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,003 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Cholpon-Ata. 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.