Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kapfenberg

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,614 a month against $2,187 in Kapfenberg, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Kapfenberg
🇦🇹 Austria
$2,187
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Kapfenberg

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 Kapfenberg actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,187 in Kapfenberg.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Kapfenberg $2,187

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,402 in Medellin versus $3,188 in Kapfenberg.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Kapfenberg $3,188

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,190 in Medellin versus $4,189 in Kapfenberg.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Kapfenberg $4,189

Living in Medellin costs roughly 26% less than in Kapfenberg, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Kapfenberg 62% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.3K
$17.62 €15.75
-54.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 147.1K
$78.0 €69.7
-40.84%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.3K
$13.52 €12.08
-29.73%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,920
$4.34 €3.88
-28.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,832
$3.31 €2.95
-44.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,384
$2.60 €2.33
-46.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,725
$5.74 €5.13
-46.86%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.5K
$5.02 €4.49
9.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,625
$1.45 €1.30
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,537
$1.90 €1.70
24.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,358
$1.45 €1.30
15.86%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,127
$4.88 €4.36
-41.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.5K
$11.85 €10.59
-14.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.4K
$12.63 €11.29
-24.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.8K
$23.29 €20.82
-39.72%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 13.0K
$2.34 €2.09
73.93%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,768
$2.05 €1.83
-26.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,929
$2.24 €2.01
-3.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,350
$2.76 €2.47
-16.30%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,147
$1.82 €1.63
6.04%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,224
$1.57 €1.40
4.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,590
$1.38 €1.23
-18.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,976
$0.47 €0.42
165.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.7K
$7.47 €6.67
-46.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.6K
$5.14 €4.59
159.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,413
$1.26 €1.12
34.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,566
$0.93 €0.83
154.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,848
$2.96 €2.65
-59.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 243.9K
$55.5 €49.57
37.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,202
$5.05 €4.51
-73.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,811
$2.87 €2.56
-25.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 27.0K
$39.69 €35.47
-78.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,137
$1.87 €1.67
-30.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 89.2M
$29.7K €26.5K
-5.67%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.9M
$27.0K €24.1K
31.37%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 548.6K
$409 €366
-57.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.6K
$18.79 €16.80
-28.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.6K
$39.84 €35.60
-27.89%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 144.2K
$38.29 €34.22
18.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.3K
$25.69 €22.96
-33.67%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 20.0K
$11.21 €10.02
-43.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.5M
$200 €179
285.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.7M
$8,124 €7,259
10.93%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 275.5K
$92.2 €82.4
-6.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 182.1K
$24.29 €21.71
135.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 435.3K
$87.0 €77.8
56.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 312.1K
$63.5 €56.8
54.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.4M
$951 €850
10.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$843 €754
-26.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$1,547 €1,382
22.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.3M
$1,372 €1,226
-25.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$7,909 €7,068
-48.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.4M
$6,158 €5,502
-72.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Kapfenberg
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.41
220.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Kapfenberg: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Kapfenberg
$843 36.9% $228
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Kapfenberg
$312 6% $18
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Kapfenberg
$468 118% $253
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Kapfenberg
$120 29.4% $50
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Kapfenberg
$296 75.8% $128
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Kapfenberg
$87 7.1% $6.6
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Kapfenberg
$61 5% $2.9

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Medellin and $951 in Kapfenberg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Medellin vs $78.0 in Kapfenberg for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $312 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇹 Kapfenberg
🕒 Local time
15:17 3:17 PM
22:17 10:17 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
23,004
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 3,188 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,559 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 13, 2026: 1 USD = 0.894 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Kapfenberg 9,560 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Kapfenberg

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 Kapfenberg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kapfenberg cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,421 in Medellin and $3,280 in Kapfenberg to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Kapfenberg?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Medellin versus $951 in Kapfenberg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $770 in Medellin versus $200 in Kapfenberg. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and in Kapfenberg?
Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Kapfenberg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $2,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Kapfenberg?
At $1,614 in Medellin versus $2,187 in Kapfenberg, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kapfenberg. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Kapfenberg more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kapfenberg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Kapfenberg?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Kapfenberg are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Kapfenberg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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