Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elbasan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elbasan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $917 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,433 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,949 in Elbasan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 9% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Elbasan 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.47 ALL 770

-37.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$32.67 ALL 2,655

0.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.12 ALL 579

4.35%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.80 ALL 147

-8.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.29 ALL 105

-14.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.75 ALL 60.5

4.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.81 ALL 147

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.30 ALL 187

38.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.80 ALL 146

-38.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.92 ALL 75.0

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.49 ALL 121

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.00 ALL 244

-27.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.69 ALL 787

-53.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.44 ALL 442

6.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$12.45 ALL 1,012

-27.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.87 ALL 70.5

166.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.37 ALL 193

-55.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.25 ALL 102

21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.93 ALL 75.5

46.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.01 ALL 81.7

11.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.03 ALL 83.8

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.90 ALL 73.0

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 ALL 46.05

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.96 ALL 321

-43.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.13 ALL 661

49.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.90 ALL 73.0

32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.43 ALL 116

73.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.48 ALL 39.02

77.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$18.61 ALL 1,512

123.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.43 ALL 279

-58.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.28 ALL 104

52.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$14.32 ALL 1,163

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.18 ALL 177

-54.59%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.6K ALL 1.8M

-18.47%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.7K ALL 2.2M

-3.14%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$66.8 ALL 5,425

24.34%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.59 ALL 1,429

-44.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.21 ALL 1,235

54.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$66.0 ALL 5,364

-61.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$16.18 ALL 1,314

18.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.67 ALL 461

-30.34%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$139 ALL 11.3K

127.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,791 ALL 145.5K

233.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$47.58 ALL 3,866

26.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$34.42 ALL 2,797

-7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.5 ALL 7,760

6.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$179 ALL 14.5K

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$286 ALL 23.2K

66.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$194 ALL 15.7K

93.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$415 ALL 33.8K

104.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$296 ALL 24.0K

143.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,310 ALL 106.5K

149.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$866 ALL 70.3K

66.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$550 ALL 44.7K

13.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.1

120.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $286 in Elbasan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Elbasan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $206 – making Medellin 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 Elbasan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,375 in Elbasan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Elbasan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Elbasan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elbasan, where all-in costs run around $917, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Elbasan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Elbasan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Elbasan. 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.