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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $916 in Elbasan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,471 in Elbasan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,026 in Elbasan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than Elbasan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Elbasan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Elbasan 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.24 ALL 754

-35.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.89 ALL 2,604

2.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.18 ALL 586

0.28%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.80 ALL 147

-5.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.27 ALL 103

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.68 ALL 55.4

5.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.74 ALL 142

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.37 ALL 194

30.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.84 ALL 150

-42.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.92 ALL 74.9

35.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.56 ALL 128

-10.90%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.91 ALL 238

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.77 ALL 798

-55.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.34 ALL 436

9.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$12.41 ALL 1,013

-28.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.91 ALL 74.5

146.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.37 ALL 193

-54.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.26 ALL 103

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.89 ALL 73.1

53.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.92 ALL 75.3

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.09 ALL 88.8

2.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.98 ALL 80.3

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.60 ALL 49.04

51.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.99 ALL 326

-41.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$8.24 ALL 672

35.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.92 ALL 75.4

29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.46 ALL 119

62.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.45 ALL 36.64

75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$18.66 ALL 1,523

120.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.60 ALL 294

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.29 ALL 105

48.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.36 ALL 1,173

-44.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.11 ALL 172

-55.45%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.0K ALL 1.7M

-14.78%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.5K ALL 2.2M

-2.61%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$67.2 ALL 5,487

24.92%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.26 ALL 1,409

-44.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.29 ALL 1,248

58.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$65.6 ALL 5,359

-60.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.37 ALL 1,336

16.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.43 ALL 443

-27.81%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$139 ALL 11.4K

120.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,789 ALL 146.1K

230.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$104 ALL 8,511

-44.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$34.21 ALL 2,793

-6.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$93.8 ALL 7,660

6.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$180 ALL 14.7K

-40.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$289 ALL 23.6K

68.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$198 ALL 16.2K

85.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$421 ALL 34.4K

96.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$300 ALL 24.5K

138.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,362 ALL 111.2K

114.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$847 ALL 69.1K

66.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$550 ALL 44.9K

-0.90%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Elbasan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $289 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 1% higher in Elbasan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Elbasan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $207 in Elbasan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 13%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,374 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 9% 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 $32.00 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 $916, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.