Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Erdenet Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Erdenet

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $604 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $852 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,100 in Erdenet.

Living in Medellin is roughly 71% more expensive than in Erdenet, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Erdenet 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.87 MNT 13.9K

59.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.70 MNT 106.5K

9.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

65.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.57 MNT 5,628

9.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.64 MNT 2,284

64.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.40 MNT 1,419

92.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.22 MNT 4,367

38.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.33 MNT 4,779

138.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.02 MNT 3,641

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.72 MNT 2,582

80.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.80 MNT 6,435

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.17 MNT 7,776

-0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.76 MNT 35.0K

-55.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.01 MNT 18.0K

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.80 MNT 13.6K

127.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.50 MNT 8,974

-8.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.10 MNT 7,528

-47.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.62 MNT 9,373

-41.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.02 MNT 7,245

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.72 MNT 2,595

56.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 MNT 3,582

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.84 MNT 3,022

1.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.69 MNT 2,487

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.89 MNT 10.4K

-19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.69 MNT 20.4K

117.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.15 MNT 4,139

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.32 MNT 4,716

88.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.10 MNT 349

740.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$4.76 MNT 17.1K

752.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.46 MNT 1,638

208.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.68 MNT 2,431

182.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

45.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.92 MNT 3,299

7.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$12.3K MNT 43.9M

47.12%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$10.5K MNT 37.6M

153.83%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$61.3 MNT 219.7K

31.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$2.91 MNT 10.4K

241.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.91 MNT 53.4K

62.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$25.29 MNT 90.7K

-0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.46 MNT 16.0K

329.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.63 MNT 9,412

51.33%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$193 MNT 690.6K

58.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,617 MNT 9.4M

131.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$28.90 MNT 103.6K

101.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.19 MNT 104.6K

10.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$87.2 MNT 312.4K

15.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$89.5 MNT 320.8K

20.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$174 MNT 622.2K

174.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$131 MNT 470.2K

186.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$580 MNT 2.1M

45.57%

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

$225 MNT 805.4K

174.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $174 in Erdenet. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 175% 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 $30.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $180 per month, with Erdenet cheaper across the board.

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 Erdenet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Erdenet differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $604 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 175% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $174 in Erdenet. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $193 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $604 in Erdenet versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Erdenet but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Erdenet the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Erdenet 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 Erdenet gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.