Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elblag Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Elblag

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,547 in Elblag.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,223 in Elblag.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,900 in Elblag.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 34% less than in Elblag, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Elblag is 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$10.91 zł 39.87

-45.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.42 zł 108

13.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.69 zł 28.09

-5.98%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$4.31 zł 15.75

-62.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.11 zł 7.71

-48.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.91 zł 6.98

-61.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.28 zł 11.99

-46.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.73 zł 17.29

-31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.18 zł 4.32

-11.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.42 zł 5.20

-9.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.77 zł 6.47

-25.42%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.63 zł 13.28

-37.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.29 zł 37.62

-57.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.88 zł 25.14

-14.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$14.36 zł 52.5

-40.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.24 zł 4.55

81.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.78 zł 6.51

-39.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.02 zł 7.38

-24.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.75 zł 13.70

-62.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.04 zł 3.80

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.24 zł 4.53

-5.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.47 zł 5.36

-39.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.69 zł 2.51

30.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.43 zł 16.18

-49.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$6.93 zł 25.33

59.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.44 zł 5.26

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.87 zł 6.85

27.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.07 zł 3.92

-21.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$26.04 zł 95.2

61.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.72 zł 9.95

-48.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.02 zł 3.73

86.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$13.83 zł 50.6

-43.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.71 zł 6.27

-40.94%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.0K zł 120.6K

-46.72%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.0K zł 98.7K

-1.89%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$362 zł 1,323

-76.88%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.06 zł 36.77

-6.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.06 zł 55.1

60.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$35.12 zł 128

-27.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$13.54 zł 49.50

41.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.54 zł 23.90

-37.31%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$589 zł 2,154

-47.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,088 zł 7,630

187.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$98.9 zł 362

-41.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$47.50 zł 174

-31.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$95.7 zł 350

4.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$111 zł 404

-1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$683 zł 2,497

-29.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$479 zł 1,750

-20.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$974 zł 3,561

-14.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$825 zł 3,017

-12.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,318 zł 8,472

22.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$2,323 zł 8,489

-47.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,397 zł 5,107

-61.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

91.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Elblag: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $683 in Elblag. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Elblag pays 158% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Elblag. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $244, 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 Elblag: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Elblag earns 158% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $683 in Elblag. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Elblag. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,547 in Elblag, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Elblag. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Elblag, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Elblag 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Elblag. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.