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 $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $467 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $756 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,045 in Cholpon-Ata, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% 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 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$6.48 KGS 566

-7.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$21.51 KGS 1,881

52.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.76 KGS 503

28.82%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$1.99 KGS 174

-17.09%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$0.63 KGS 55.2

69.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.33 KGS 28.56

130.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$1.18 KGS 103

45.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$1.69 KGS 148

89.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.95 KGS 82.7

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$0.48 KGS 42.15

172.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.53 KGS 133

-12.42%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$1.73 KGS 152

26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$8.29 KGS 725

-46.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.91 KGS 430

15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$7.77 KGS 679

9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.07 KGS 93.9

118.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.91 KGS 167

-41.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.12 KGS 185

-28.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.64 KGS 143

-16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$0.56 KGS 48.65

105.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$0.52 KGS 45.67

126.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$0.56 KGS 48.82

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.47 KGS 41.48

82.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$1.74 KGS 152

29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$8.11 KGS 709

43.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.13 KGS 99.1

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$1.95 KGS 171

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.39 KGS 122

5.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$0.24 KGS 21.01

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$3.52 KGS 307

120.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.81 KGS 70.8

24.69%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$38.0K KGS 3.3M

-53.57%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$34.0K KGS 3.0M

-22.14%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$33.71 KGS 2,947

140.58%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$7.00 KGS 612

34.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$11.95 KGS 1,045

99.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$4.65 KGS 406

-12.04%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$195 KGS 17.0K

61.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$4,577 KGS 400.1K

31.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$36.84 KGS 3,221

62.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$39.86 KGS 3,485

-19.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$94.1 KGS 8,223

7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$104 KGS 9,107

0.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Cholpon-Ata: June 14, 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: $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: $1,028 in Medellin, $467 in Cholpon-Ata – roughly 120% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $700 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 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 $467, than in Medellin at $1,028. 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 $467 in Cholpon-Ata to $1,028 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.