Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Darkhan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Darkhan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $668 in Darkhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,086 in Darkhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,504 in Darkhan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 54% more expensive than in Darkhan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Darkhan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.41 MNT 19.4K

13.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.32 MNT 105.1K

11.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.54 MNT 19.8K

32.49%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.54 MNT 9,097

-32.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.72 MNT 2,566

45.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.51 MNT 1,825

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.11 MNT 7,571

-19.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.30 MNT 8,253

37.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.44 MNT 5,149

-27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.02 MNT 3,657

27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.14 MNT 7,668

-34.58%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.08 MNT 7,466

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.66 MNT 56.1K

-71.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.67 MNT 20.3K

3.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.51 MNT 23.3K

32.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.15 MNT 11.3K

-27.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.61 MNT 9,338

-57.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$4.25 MNT 15.2K

-64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.71 MNT 9,710

-50.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.78 MNT 2,779

44.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.03 MNT 3,689

9.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.24 MNT 4,456

-31.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 MNT 2,703

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.76 MNT 6,315

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.45 MNT 37.5K

18.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.38 MNT 4,937

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.71 MNT 6,138

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.13 MNT 481

546.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.30 MNT 1,089

373.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.62 MNT 2,213

209.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.62 MNT 16.6K

65.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.08 MNT 3,878

-8.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$30.8K MNT 110.3M

-41.42%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.9K MNT 67.8M

40.73%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$81.9 MNT 293.7K

-1.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.40 MNT 26.5K

34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.90 MNT 60.6K

43.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.78 MNT 13.6K

5.29%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$174 MNT 623.3K

75.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,373 MNT 22.8M

-4.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$84.2 MNT 301.6K

-30.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$70.1 MNT 251.1K

-54.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$102 MNT 363.9K

-0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$160 MNT 571.8K

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Darkhan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Darkhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $248, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Darkhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Darkhan wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Darkhan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,001 in Darkhan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $174 in Darkhan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Darkhan – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Darkhan versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Darkhan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Darkhan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Darkhan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $668 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Darkhan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Darkhan 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 Darkhan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.