Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gulbene Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gulbene

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,304 in Gulbene, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,023 in Gulbene, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,742 in Gulbene, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Gulbene, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Gulbene is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$17.17 €14.77

-53.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$68.8 €59.2

-29.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$9.52 €8.19

2.63%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$3.83 €3.30

-24.02%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.68 €1.44

15.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.25 €1.08

21.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$5.92 €5.09

-47.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$4.55 €3.91

26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.22 €1.05

11.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.53 €1.31

56.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$2.65 €2.28

-35.85%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.91 €3.36

-26.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$11.02 €9.48

-9.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$8.78 €7.56

22.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$14.71 €12.66

0.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.25 €1.94

81.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.84 €1.58

-14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.52 €2.17

-15.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.24 €2.79

-31.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.94 €0.81

118.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.00 €0.86

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.78 €1.53

-33.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$1.06 €0.91

9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$7.06 €6.07

-44.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.28 €7.13

74.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$2.05 €1.77

-22.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.10 €1.81

34.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.45 €2.97

-62.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$1.04 €0.89

100.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$18.26 €15.71

-52.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$2.09 €1.80

-37.80%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$28.3K €24.4K

-2.27%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$32.2K €27.7K

10.17%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$383 €330

-54.03%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$21.96 €18.89

-39.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$20.41 €17.56

46.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$10.98 €9.45

-43.53%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$643 €553

23.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$18.1K €15.6K

-50.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$71.7 €61.7

19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$50.7 €43.63

15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$88.7 €76.4

53.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$145 €125

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$200 €172

431.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$175 €151

288.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$370 €319

443.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$350 €301

233.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$704 €606

483.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$576 €496

195.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.64

135.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Gulbene: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $200 in Gulbene. 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Gulbene. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $279 in Gulbene – so Gulbene 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 Gulbene: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $1,304 in Gulbene – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,956 in Gulbene. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gulbene, 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $1,304 in Gulbene. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $643 in Gulbene. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Gulbene, where all-in costs run around $1,304, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Gulbene it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,304 in Gulbene to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Gulbene. 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.