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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $374 in Erdenet.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $621 in Erdenet.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $869 in Erdenet.

Living in Medellin is roughly 350% more expensive than in Erdenet, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Erdenet is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.14 MNT 14.9K

93.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$27.56 MNT 99.1K

73.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.06 MNT 14.6K

143.60%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.18 MNT 7,844

43.58%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.64 MNT 2,314

198.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.44 MNT 1,580

243.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.65 MNT 5,934

89.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.68 MNT 6,054

242.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.02 MNT 3,655

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.88 MNT 3,181

182.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.86 MNT 10.3K

-38.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.97 MNT 7,077

50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$7.09 MNT 25.5K

42.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$7.13 MNT 25.6K

41.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$4.35 MNT 15.6K

228.74%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.19 MNT 7,863

89.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.71 MNT 6,143

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.64 MNT 5,912

37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.40 MNT 5,036

60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.38 MNT 4,949

47.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.87 MNT 3,122

77.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.42 MNT 5,107

-17.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.99 MNT 3,557

32.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.79 MNT 10.0K

39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$5.43 MNT 19.5K

158.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.65 MNT 5,950

5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.69 MNT 6,082

69.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.17 MNT 626

617.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$19.68 MNT 70.8K

308.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.65 MNT 2,346

101.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.40 MNT 1,443

447.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.75 MNT 2,685

82.67%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$59.5 MNT 213.9K

197.98%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$2.70 MNT 9,710

414.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$13.88 MNT 49.9K

114.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$275 MNT 988.4K

195.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$2,519 MNT 9.1M

264.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$224 MNT 804.9K

202.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Erdenet: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 203% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Erdenet for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $189 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 350% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $374 including rent). Erdenet is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 203% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $275 in Erdenet. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $374 in Erdenet versus $1,681 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 350% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.