Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jalalabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jalalabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $637 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $800 in Jalalabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 112% more than Jalalabad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Jalalabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Jalalabad 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.19 ؋144

169.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$7.16 ؋469

360.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.56 ؋233

108.71%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.74 ؋48.74

122.97%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.75 ؋49.45

46.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.35 ؋22.75

260.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.76 ؋115

-21.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.52 ؋99.5

43.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$4.98 ؋327

-9.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.57 ؋169

125.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.82 ؋381

54.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.55 ؋36.05

321.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.55 ؋36.19

92.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.74 ؋48.19

105.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.45 ؋29.47

202.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.38 ؋24.68

197.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.28 ؋18.08

317.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.30 ؋19.77

200.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 ؋18.21

221.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.74 ؋245

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ؋47.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 ؋67.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.17 ؋143

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.13 ؋8.27

553.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.99 ؋655

316.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.75 ؋49.22

89.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.42 ؋27.38

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.42 ؋93.2

455.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.98 ؋64.5

1.02%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$7,977 ؋522.9K

120.65%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$21.83 ؋1,431

280.26%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$220 ؋14.4K

-89.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$7.06 ؋463

257.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$4.34 ؋285

340.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$1.47 ؋96.6

168.71%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$14.25 ؋934

2116.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,158 ؋75.9K

415.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$16.95 ؋1,111

253.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$14.47 ؋949

119.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$21.29 ؋1,396

377.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$28.53 ؋1,870

276.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$107 ؋6,985

345.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$42.72 ؋2,800

775.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$216 ؋14.2K

292.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$113 ؋7,397

537.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$466 ؋30.6K

600.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$229 ؋15.0K

528.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$180 ؋11.8K

247.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

13.88

-3.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Jalalabad: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $107 in Jalalabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 247% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $7.00 in Jalalabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $87.0 – making Jalalabad 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 Jalalabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $473 in Jalalabad – roughly 112% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $710 in Jalalabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 123% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $7.00 in Jalalabad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jalalabad, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Jalalabad 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 $473 in Jalalabad to $1,003 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Jalalabad. 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.