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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $657 in Darkhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,083 in Darkhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,508 in Darkhan.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Darkhan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.70 MNT 20.4K

5.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$29.36 MNT 105.0K

11.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.27 MNT 18.9K

34.54%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.63 MNT 9,397

-34.98%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.78 MNT 2,775

41.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.51 MNT 1,831

52.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.07 MNT 7,416

-18.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.29 MNT 8,176

34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.42 MNT 5,093

-23.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.97 MNT 3,470

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.11 MNT 7,542

-34.60%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.15 MNT 7,680

1.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$15.95 MNT 57.0K

-72.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.67 MNT 20.3K

-0.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.44 MNT 23.0K

38.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.11 MNT 11.1K

-24.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.59 MNT 9,266

-59.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

-66.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.66 MNT 9,504

-48.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.75 MNT 2,695

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.02 MNT 3,645

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.25 MNT 4,478

-28.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.74 MNT 2,637

13.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.78 MNT 6,372

28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.55 MNT 34.1K

11.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.38 MNT 4,919

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.79 MNT 6,412

37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.17 MNT 603

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.30 MNT 1,079

390.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.61 MNT 2,190

221.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.81 MNT 17.2K

60.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.08 MNT 3,879

-12.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-40.65%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$19.0K MNT 68.0M

39.35%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$82.1 MNT 293.6K

0.16%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.71 MNT 27.6K

23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$16.71 MNT 59.8K

45.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.91 MNT 14.0K

0.51%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$176 MNT 630.1K

75.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,477 MNT 23.2M

-7.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$86.4 MNT 309.1K

-32.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$68.6 MNT 245.4K

-52.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$104 MNT 370.2K

-0.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$158 MNT 564.3K

-31.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Darkhan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Darkhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $246, 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 $1,519 in Medellin and $985 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 $309 in Medellin versus $176 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 $657 in Darkhan versus $1,013 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 $657 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.