Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaka Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kaka

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $2,188 in Kaka, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $3,274 in Kaka, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $4,360 in Kaka, rent included.

Medellin is about 23% cheaper than Kaka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kaka sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Kaka by 60%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$31.57 TMT 106

-74.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$87.1 TMT 292

-45.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$12.97 TMT 43.46

-23.75%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$6.95 TMT 23.30

-54.96%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.56 TMT 5.22

22.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.83 TMT 2.77

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$5.78 TMT 19.35

-46.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$13.80 TMT 46.24

-58.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$4.40 TMT 14.73

-67.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.09 TMT 7.00

19.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$5.69 TMT 19.07

-68.89%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$5.95 TMT 19.92

-50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$37.71 TMT 126

-73.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$20.20 TMT 67.7

-49.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$23.26 TMT 77.9

-38.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.16 TMT 17.30

-19.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$8.31 TMT 27.84

-80.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$7.58 TMT 25.39

-70.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.74 TMT 12.52

-39.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.34 TMT 7.86

-12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.47 TMT 4.93

4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$2.73 TMT 9.14

-57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.12 TMT 3.75

16.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$25.58 TMT 85.7

-84.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$41.35 TMT 139

-66.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$5.19 TMT 17.39

-66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.79 TMT 9.34

2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.79 TMT 9.33

-53.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.84 TMT 2.83

160.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.82 TMT 29.54

-1.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.41 TMT 1.38

234.15%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$43.7K TMT 146.5K

-36.36%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$57.5K TMT 192.7K

-37.80%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$561 TMT 1,880

-68.40%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$58.2 TMT 195

-76.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$103 TMT 347

-71.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.81 TMT 29.52

-24.52%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$23.08 TMT 77.3

3422.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$24.9K TMT 83.3K

-63.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$55.0 TMT 184

62.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$113 TMT 379

-47.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$361 TMT 1,208

-61.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$192 TMT 642

-46.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kaka: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $87.0 in Kaka. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $669 – making Medellin 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 Kaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaka costs about 30% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $2,188 in Kaka. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $23.08 in Kaka. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Kaka at $2,188. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,681 versus $2,188 in Kaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.