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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $455 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $758 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,062 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 127% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Cholpon-Ata are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cholpon-Ata 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.41 KGS 561

-7.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.16 KGS 1,852

54.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.60 KGS 490

28.57%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.11 KGS 184

-19.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.64 KGS 55.9

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.35 KGS 30.85

105.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.17 KGS 102

42.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.69 KGS 148

83.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.92 KGS 80.7

15.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.45 KGS 39.38

177.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.58 KGS 139

-12.03%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.72 KGS 150

31.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.91 KGS 692

-45.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.05 KGS 442

15.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.06 KGS 706

9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.07 KGS 94.0

109.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.93 KGS 169

-44.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.05 KGS 179

-25.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.68 KGS 147

-18.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.59 KGS 51.7

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.50 KGS 43.57

124.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.59 KGS 51.4

44.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.47 KGS 41.55

93.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.74 KGS 152

33.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.80 KGS 683

42.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.18 KGS 103

0.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.92 KGS 168

23.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.39 KGS 121

3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.22 KGS 19.16

768.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.52 KGS 308

127.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.79 KGS 69.2

18.99%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$37.2K KGS 3.3M

-51.79%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$34.7K KGS 3.0M

-22.81%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$34.03 KGS 2,978

146.72%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$6.98 KGS 611

37.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$12.10 KGS 1,059

99.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.62 KGS 404

-15.15%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$194 KGS 17.0K

58.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,507 KGS 394.5K

31.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$37.18 KGS 3,254

55.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$40.23 KGS 3,521

-20.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$93.7 KGS 8,199

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$105 KGS 9,166

2.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 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: $1,034 in Medellin, $455 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 127% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $682 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 $21.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% 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 $455, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $455 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,034 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.