Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Herat Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Herat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $579 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $738 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 78% more than Herat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Herat are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Herat 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.12 ؋140

190.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$8.82 ؋580

269.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.93 ؋259

86.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 ؋139

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.29 ؋480

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.69 ؋45.45

149.28%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.52 ؋34.35

101.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.14 ؋9.53

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.48 ؋31.76

118.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.30 ؋19.90

333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.93 ؋193

-52.22%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.05 ؋135

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.88 ؋190

52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.64 ؋174

122.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.79 ؋381

49.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.70 ؋45.91

225.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.69 ؋45.47

60.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.59 ؋38.67

159.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.54 ؋35.81

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.59 ؋38.53

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.34 ؋22.58

232.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.30 ؋19.97

203.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ؋59.8

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.84 ؋121

27.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.28 ؋18.27

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.11 ؋139

-32.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.32 ؋86.8

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.36 ؋287

75.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.00 ؋65.7

-1.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$187 ؋12.3K

-56.69%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$146 ؋9,592

-83.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$14.48 ؋953

73.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$14.14 ؋931

2058.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$21.30 ؋1,402

172.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$21.58 ؋1,420

49.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$29.22 ؋1,923

244.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$35.49 ؋2,336

203.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$72.1 ؋4,742

561.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$42.44 ؋2,793

786.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$117 ؋7,684

623.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$72.2 ؋4,751

911.94%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Herat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $72.1 in Herat. 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 $9.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $86.0 – making Herat 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 Herat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 78%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $869 in Herat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Herat, 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $579 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $14.14 in Herat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Herat, where all-in costs run around $579, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Herat it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Herat. 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.