Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,188 in Kaka, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. The total is higher in Kaka despite lower rent and utilities.

Medellin, Colombia
Kaka, Turkmenistan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Kaka
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
$2,188
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Kaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $2,188 in Kaka, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Kaka $2,188

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $3,298 in Kaka, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Kaka $3,298

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $4,409 in Kaka, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Kaka $4,409

Medellin is about 25% cheaper than Kaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Kaka sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Kaka by 61%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$31.16 TMT 104
-74.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$84.8 TMT 284
-44.49%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$12.93 TMT 43.31
-26.53%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$6.93 TMT 23.23
-56.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$1.54 TMT 5.16
16.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$0.89 TMT 3.00
58.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$5.85 TMT 19.60
-45.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$13.73 TMT 46.01
-58.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$4.38 TMT 14.68
-65.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$2.08 TMT 6.97
14.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$5.71 TMT 19.11
-69.00%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$6.07 TMT 20.35
-52.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$37.74 TMT 126
-73.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$19.89 TMT 66.6
-50.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$22.74 TMT 76.2
-38.48%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$5.04 TMT 16.89
-21.23%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$8.51 TMT 28.50
-81.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$7.53 TMT 25.23
-71.05%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$3.72 TMT 12.45
-41.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$2.35 TMT 7.86
-16.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.40 TMT 4.67
13.57%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$2.65 TMT 8.86
-56.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$1.12 TMT 3.77
10.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$26.17 TMT 87.7
-84.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$41.83 TMT 140
-67.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$5.17 TMT 17.30
-67.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.93 TMT 9.80
-22.87%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$2.83 TMT 9.49
-55.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.82 TMT 2.74
150.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$8.41 TMT 28.17
1.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$0.42 TMT 1.40
221.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$44.7K TMT 149.8K
-23.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$57.2K TMT 191.5K
-39.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$570 TMT 1,910
-70.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$57.7 TMT 193
-76.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$105 TMT 351
-73.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$8.44 TMT 28.29
-18.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$22.91 TMT 76.8
3377.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$25.1K TMT 84.0K
-63.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$56.5 TMT 189
50.08%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$114 TMT 381
-49.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$362 TMT 1,211
-62.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$195 TMT 653
-49.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
9.5
15.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Kaka: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Kaka
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Kaka
$667 125% $370
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Kaka
$733 247% $521
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Kaka
$438 158% $268
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Kaka
$327 93.5% $158
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Kaka
$6.9 * 92.6% $87
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Kaka
$17 * 70.6% $41

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $85 in Kaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $667 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇹🇲 Kaka
🕒 Local time
22:21 10:21 PM
08:21 8:21 AM
10 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
33,315
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TMT, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Turkmenistani Manat exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.35 TMT (1 TMT = 0.299 USD). 1 EUR = 3.74 TMT (1 TMT = 0.267 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kaka 13,300 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Medellin or Kaka?
Kaka costs about 33% more than Medellin, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Medellin and in Kaka?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $3,282 in Kaka. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How much does it cost to live in Medellin compared to Kaka?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $2,188 in Kaka. That makes Medellin about 25% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Medellin and in Kaka?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $23 in Kaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,500/month in Medellin or in Kaka?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $2,188 in Kaka, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Medellin or Kaka?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $2,188 in Kaka. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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