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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $490 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $677 in Jalalabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $865 in Jalalabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 243% more than Jalalabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Jalalabad is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.36 ؋152

239.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$7.52 ؋484

536.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$3.79 ؋244

160.95%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.75 ؋48.54

317.33%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.88 ؋56.5

63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.40 ؋25.43

522.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.83 ؋118

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.67 ؋108

77.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$5.42 ؋349

85.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$2.69 ؋173

276.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$5.97 ؋384

139.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.63 ؋40.66

557.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$0.61 ؋38.95

163.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.79 ؋51.1

184.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.47 ؋30.39

378.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.36 ؋23.31

466.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.32 ؋20.81

381.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.30 ؋18.99

290.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.33 ؋20.94

296.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.96 ؋254

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ؋48.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ؋68.6

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.37 ؋152

64.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.13 ؋8.50

838.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$10.86 ؋699

641.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.75 ؋48.45

74.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.45 ؋28.80

386.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$1.50 ؋96.5

480.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.11 ؋71.1

23.42%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$8,328 ؋535.8K

234.26%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$22.94 ؋1,476

672.89%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$232 ؋14.9K

-87.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$7.51 ؋483

497.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$4.67 ؋300

266.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$1.57 ؋101

323.57%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$15.40 ؋991

5178.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,244 ؋80.1K

638.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$18.22 ؋1,172

391.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$15.33 ؋986

284.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$22.90 ؋1,474

503.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$31.24 ؋2,010

226.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$115 ؋7,412

821.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$45.51 ؋2,928

1356.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$233 ؋15.0K

711.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$124 ؋8,008

725.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$467 ؋30.1K

794.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$235 ؋15.1K

613.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$186 ؋12.0K

264.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

13.88

-21.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jalalabad: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $115 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 265% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $8.00 in Jalalabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $94.0 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $490 in Jalalabad – roughly 243% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $734 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 226% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $8.00 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 $490, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $490 in Jalalabad to $1,681 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.