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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $503 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $823 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,143 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 234% more than Cholpon-Ata, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Cholpon-Ata is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.81 KGS 595

17.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$28.13 KGS 2,459

70.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$5.95 KGS 520

66.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.37 KGS 207

32.07%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.72 KGS 63.3

165.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.37 KGS 32.67

308.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.35 KGS 118

131.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.98 KGS 173

190.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.00 KGS 87.2

44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.42 KGS 36.36

492.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.68 KGS 147

5.36%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.78 KGS 156

66.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.39 KGS 646

36.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.56 KGS 399

121.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$9.06 KGS 792

57.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.42 KGS 124

191.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.82 KGS 159

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.09 KGS 183

7.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.61 KGS 141

39.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.58 KGS 50.5

251.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.51 KGS 44.36

201.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.70 KGS 61.5

67.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.62 KGS 54.0

111.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.01 KGS 176

94.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.21 KGS 805

52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.37 KGS 120

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.93 KGS 169

48.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.22 KGS 19.18

454.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.83 KGS 72.3

57.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.45 KGS 39.16

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.86 KGS 512

48.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.92 KGS 80.2

48.91%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$30.1K KGS 2.6M

-7.64%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$33.2K KGS 2.9M

7.70%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$50.3 KGS 4,397

252.49%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$2.83 KGS 248

390.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$11.95 KGS 1,045

148.70%

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

$5.89 KGS 515

12.90%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$219 KGS 19.1K

271.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$7,877 KGS 688.6K

16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$55.1 KGS 4,819

62.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$43.34 KGS 3,789

36.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$91.4 KGS 7,988

51.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$89.3 KGS 7,805

14.39%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

20.22

-45.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $177 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $503 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 234% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $754 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Cholpon-Ata. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% 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 $503, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $503 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,681 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.