Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karaganda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Karaganda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $921 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,460 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,000 in Karaganda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 86% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Karaganda is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$9.55 ₸4,352

-15.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$34.35 ₸15.6K

40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$5.28 ₸2,406

85.04%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.93 ₸881

50.78%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$0.90 ₸410

115.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.59 ₸269

157.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.33 ₸607

132.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.90 ₸1,321

97.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.24 ₸566

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$0.44 ₸200

443.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.24 ₸565

37.10%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$1.75 ₸799

64.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$12.90 ₸5,876

-22.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$5.44 ₸2,477

98.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.80 ₸4,922

36.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.50 ₸682

172.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.93 ₸880

-18.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$2.76 ₸1,257

-22.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.06 ₸938

7.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.65 ₸296

215.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.53 ₸242

183.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.00 ₸458

19.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.71 ₸325

63.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.19 ₸998

78.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.93 ₸3,613

82.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.32 ₸600

19.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.06 ₸938

37.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.21 ₸95.4

457.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$14.94 ₸6,805

420.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.22 ₸554

4.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$1.21 ₸553

72.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$3.27 ₸1,488

163.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$0.54 ₸247

140.74%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$21.5K ₸9.8M

28.73%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$31.0K ₸14.1M

14.65%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$71.2 ₸32.4K

147.32%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.80 ₸4,464

36.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$11.80 ₸5,374

153.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$44.26 ₸20.2K

1.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$18.14 ₸8,265

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$5.18 ₸2,361

19.69%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$129 ₸58.6K

516.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$58.8 ₸26.8K

45.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$58.0 ₸26.4K

0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$75.2 ₸34.2K

81.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$85.9 ₸39.1K

20.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$392 ₸178.3K

170.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$269 ₸122.6K

152.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$709 ₸323.1K

183.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$533 ₸242.7K

119.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,027 ₸467.7K

300.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$706 ₸321.7K

140.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$565 ₸257.4K

17.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.25

-43.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $392 in Karaganda. 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 18% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $210 – making Karaganda 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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,716 in Medellin, $921 in Karaganda – roughly 86% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,381 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 420% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $129 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $921, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $921 in Karaganda to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Karaganda. 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.