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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Kalush, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,043 in Kalush, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,400 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 24% lower, Kalush 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.24 ₴325

-17.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$24.65 ₴1,107

35.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.65 ₴254

27.96%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.14 ₴51.3

42.98%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.60 ₴26.79

81.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.41 ₴18.33

78.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.03 ₴46.16

68.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.50 ₴67.3

115.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.04 ₴46.82

0.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.61 ₴27.28

111.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.31 ₴58.8

0.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.53 ₴68.9

48.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.23 ₴370

-47.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.97 ₴178

48.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.56 ₴295

31.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.83 ₴37.18

171.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.47 ₴65.8

-27.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.58 ₴70.8

-3.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.02 ₴90.7

-29.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.61 ₴27.44

91.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.54 ₴24.09

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.25 ₴56.1

-28.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.50 ₴22.32

80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.58 ₴116

-12.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.38 ₴197

152.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.84 ₴37.96

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.34 ₴60.2

77.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.35 ₴15.51

140.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.77 ₴79.6

-20.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.23 ₴10.30

726.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.89 ₴130

168.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.34 ₴60.1

-24.63%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$30.9K ₴1.4M

-43.12%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.4K ₴1.1M

8.57%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$84.7 ₴3,805

-1.20%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.27 ₴237

79.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$6.01 ₴270

301.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$24.30 ₴1,092

4.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$9.68 ₴435

97.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.68 ₴165

11.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$276 ₴12.4K

13.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,497 ₴157.1K

71.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$48.70 ₴2,188

19.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$33.31 ₴1,497

-2.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$78.8 ₴3,538

26.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$88.0 ₴3,952

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$269 ₴12.1K

79.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$199 ₴8,930

90.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$436 ₴19.6K

92.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$313 ₴14.1K

130.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,024 ₴46.0K

177.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$770 ₴34.6K

58.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$270 ₴12.1K

100.20%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Kalush: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $269 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 $151 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,030 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $687 in Kalush. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $276 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 $687, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.