Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalush Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kalush

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $698 in Kalush, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Kalush, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,431 in Kalush, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Kalush, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Kalush are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kalush 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.19 ₴317

-17.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$24.53 ₴1,081

33.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.86 ₴258

22.87%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.16 ₴51.2

46.55%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.65 ₴28.45

69.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.44 ₴19.42

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.96 ₴42.46

73.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.44 ₴63.4

115.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.08 ₴47.74

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.60 ₴26.48

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.25 ₴55.3

11.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.56 ₴68.6

44.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.23 ₴363

-47.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.83 ₴169

52.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.62 ₴292

33.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.80 ₴35.37

180.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.51 ₴66.6

-28.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.64 ₴72.5

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.10 ₴92.6

-34.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.64 ₴28.38

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.57 ₴25.02

96.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.25 ₴55.2

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.50 ₴21.95

82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.55 ₴112

-8.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.47 ₴197

148.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.80 ₴35.24

48.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.30 ₴57.2

82.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.35 ₴15.22

125.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.82 ₴80.2

-20.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.23 ₴10.11

730.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.97 ₴131

170.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.38 ₴60.9

-31.88%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$30.8K ₴1.4M

-41.86%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.9K ₴1.1M

7.42%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$85.3 ₴3,758

-1.55%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$5.23 ₴231

83.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$6.02 ₴266

301.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$24.40 ₴1,075

6.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$9.39 ₴414

102.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.75 ₴165

4.53%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$275 ₴12.1K

11.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,434 ₴151.4K

72.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$47.89 ₴2,110

20.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$33.34 ₴1,469

-4.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$77.0 ₴3,391

29.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$87.7 ₴3,865

22.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$268 ₴11.8K

81.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$202 ₴8,886

82.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$433 ₴19.1K

90.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$319 ₴14.0K

124.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,039 ₴45.8K

181.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$750 ₴33.0K

87.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$272 ₴12.0K

100.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.17

-16.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Kalush: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $268 in Kalush. 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 100% 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 $25.00 in Kalush. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $152 – making Kalush 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 Kalush: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 48%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,048 in Kalush. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kalush, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $698 in Kalush. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $275 in Kalush. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kalush, where all-in costs run around $698, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Kalush it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kalush – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Kalush. 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.