Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gonbad-e Kavus Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gonbad-e Kavus

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $507 in Gonbad-e Kavus, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $801 in Gonbad-e Kavus, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,094 in Gonbad-e Kavus, rent included.

Medellin costs about 103% more than Gonbad-e Kavus, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Gonbad-e Kavus are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Gonbad-e Kavus 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.11 $4.11

45.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$17.04 $17.04

92.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$4.42 $4.42

67.87%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.12 $1.12

47.32%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.42 $0.42

154.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$1.00 $1.00

-24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.53 $0.53

98.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$0.52 $0.52

151.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$2.54 $2.54

-47.24%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.13 $1.13

93.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$3.46 $3.46

27.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.18 $2.18

161.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$6.13 $6.13

38.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$0.79 $0.79

196.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.77 $1.77

-37.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.02 $1.02

49.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.49 $0.49

179.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.52 $0.52

121.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.72 $0.72

63.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.59 $0.59

42.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.31 $0.31

177.42%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.73 $0.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 $0.78

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$2.56 $2.56

-11.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.19 $0.19

315.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$9.94 $9.94

310.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.49 $0.49

200.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.29 $0.29

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$1.97 $1.97

294.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$0.72 $0.72

40.28%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$71.7K $71.7K

-75.36%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$54.3K $54.3K

-51.31%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$15.56 $15.56

421.21%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$2.13 $2.13

342.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$5.71 $5.71

317.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$16.21 $16.21

60.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$12.39 $12.39

51.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$1.47 $1.47

178.23%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$114 $114

177.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$1,985 $1,985

203.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$22.93 $22.93

160.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$25.08 $25.08

27.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$112 $112

-9.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$70.1 $70.1

49.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$287 $287

69.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$196 $196

85.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$639 $639

29.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$321 $321

127.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,156 $1,156

158.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$620 $620

111.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Gonbad-e Kavus: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $287 in Gonbad-e Kavus. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Gonbad-e Kavus. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $95.0 – making Gonbad-e Kavus 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 Gonbad-e Kavus: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 103%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $761 in Gonbad-e Kavus. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $507 in Gonbad-e Kavus. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 311% less in Gonbad-e Kavus. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gonbad-e Kavus, where all-in costs run around $507, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Gonbad-e Kavus it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gonbad-e Kavus. 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.