Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kabul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kabul

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $417 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $604 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $790 in Kabul.

Living in Medellin is roughly 147% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Kabul 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$2.66 ؋175

131.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$10.83 ؋712

201.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.24 ؋279

73.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 ؋153

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋110

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$1.01 ؋66.6

70.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.34 ؋22.04

208.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.15 ؋9.87

413.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$0.71 ؋46.73

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$0.17 ؋11.49

664.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.70 ؋112

-17.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$1.43 ؋94.1

51.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.76 ؋247

16.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.27 ؋215

79.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.91 ؋389

46.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$0.57 ؋37.42

300.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$0.74 ؋48.77

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$0.70 ؋45.92

118.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$0.47 ؋30.95

187.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$0.45 ؋29.46

151.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$0.43 ؋28.13

162.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.25 ؋16.46

240.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.36 ؋23.39

152.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.76 ؋116

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋61.9

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ؋101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.55 ؋168

-8.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.21 ؋13.80

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$9.94 ؋654

308.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$1.69 ؋111

-15.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$0.52 ؋34.44

269.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.50 ؋164

206.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$0.98 ؋64.4

1.02%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$7,814 ؋513.6K

130.74%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$31.9K ؋2.1M

-16.54%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$50.4 ؋3,310

60.46%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$14.12 ؋928

-29.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$90.5 ؋5,949

-73.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$9.10 ؋598

175.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.83 ؋252

400.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$2.20 ؋145

80.91%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$18.59 ؋1,222

1541.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,453 ؋95.5K

317.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$9.12 ؋600

537.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$17.07 ؋1,122

88.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$32.63 ؋2,145

208.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$27.45 ؋1,805

292.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$85.4 ؋5,614

458.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$57.7 ؋3,795

551.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$198 ؋13.0K

326.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$110 ؋7,199

566.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$744 ؋48.9K

332.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$407 ؋26.8K

236.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$330 ؋21.7K

86.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.5

-27.41%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kabul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $85.4 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 87% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $87.0 per month, with Kabul cheaper across the board.

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 Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kabul differ by about 147% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $417 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $85.4 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 308% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $18.59 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $417 in Kabul versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 147% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.