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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $567 in Herat, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $732 in Herat, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $898 in Herat, rent included.

Medellin costs about 79% more than Herat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Herat are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Herat 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.10 ؋133

185.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$8.41 ؋534

290.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.88 ؋247

82.73%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 ؋136

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.35 ؋467

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.73 ؋46.64

134.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.52 ؋33.01

111.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.12 ؋7.62

550.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.48 ؋30.44

127.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.30 ؋19.18

320.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.86 ؋181

-51.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.01 ؋128

8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$2.80 ؋178

57.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.63 ؋167

114.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$5.58 ؋355

59.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.73 ؋46.55

220.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.69 ؋43.60

53.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.55 ؋34.91

172.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.60 ؋37.88

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.60 ؋37.99

91.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.35 ؋22.21

231.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.28 ؋17.72

200.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ؋56.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.82 ؋116

25.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.28 ؋17.73

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.12 ؋135

-30.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.37 ؋87.1

43.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.41 ؋280

75.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.04 ؋66.1

-8.65%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$183 ؋11.6K

-55.09%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$145 ؋9,184

-83.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$14.34 ؋911

80.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$14.54 ؋923

2027.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$21.37 ؋1,357

174.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$21.81 ؋1,385

48.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$28.50 ؋1,810

260.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$36.23 ؋2,301

199.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$70.7 ؋4,492

573.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$42.90 ؋2,725

782.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$114 ؋7,259

633.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$70.7 ؋4,487

924.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Herat: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $70.7 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 $8.00 in Herat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $84.0 – 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 79%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $850 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $567 in Herat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $14.54 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 $567, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.