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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $473 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $640 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $808 in Jalalabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 115% more than Jalalabad, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Jalalabad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jalalabad 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.20 ؋141

170.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$7.06 ؋453

372.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.53 ؋226

104.82%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.70 ؋45.09

132.86%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.81 ؋51.8

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.37 ؋23.83

248.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.69 ؋109

-21.89%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.54 ؋98.5

47.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.18 ؋332

-16.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.62 ؋168

124.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.71 ؋367

50.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.60 ؋38.21

275.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.55 ؋35.19

94.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.70 ؋45.14

117.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.44 ؋28.43

222.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.38 ؋24.15

207.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.28 ؋17.90

317.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.30 ؋19.34

196.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.28 ؋17.90

221.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.91 ؋251

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ؋48.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ؋66.4

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.21 ؋142

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.15 ؋9.39

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.17 ؋653

312.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.75 ؋48.36

88.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.38 ؋24.61

400.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.48 ؋94.9

423.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.02 ؋65.5

-0.98%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$7,992 ؋512.7K

119.97%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$21.53 ؋1,381

288.67%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$212 ؋13.6K

-88.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$7.28 ؋467

247.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.41 ؋283

334.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.42 ؋90.8

188.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$14.15 ؋908

2104.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,165 ؋74.8K

414.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.12 ؋1,099

239.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$14.48 ؋929

124.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$21.26 ؋1,364

368.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$28.60 ؋1,835

279.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$106 ؋6,832

352.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$42.73 ؋2,741

788.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$218 ؋14.0K

283.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$117 ؋7,506

518.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$479 ؋30.7K

492.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$234 ؋15.0K

423.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$189 ؋12.1K

185.62%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Jalalabad: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $106 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 186% 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: $190 vs $88.0 – 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: $1,017 in Medellin, $473 in Jalalabad – roughly 115% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $709 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 116% 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 $1,017. 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 $1,017 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.