Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kelachay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kelachay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $519 in Kelachay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $827 in Kelachay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,134 in Kelachay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Kelachay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kelachay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Kelachay 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$3.94 $3.94

52.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$16.93 $16.93

94.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$4.58 $4.58

54.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.12 $1.12

52.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.46 $0.46

139.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$1.02 $1.02

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.59 $0.59

84.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.56 $0.56

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.84 $1.84

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.19 $1.19

84.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.40 $3.40

29.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$3.20 $3.20

75.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$10.12 $10.12

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$0.91 $0.91

157.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.36 $1.36

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$0.86 $0.86

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.59 $0.59

133.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.51 $0.51

125.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.46 $0.46

152.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.55 $0.55

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.25 $0.25

236.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.25 $2.25

1.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.20 $0.20

330.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$9.85 $9.85

320.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$0.36 $0.36

308.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.27 $0.27

625.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$1.98 $1.98

290.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.77 $0.77

23.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$73.3K $73.3K

-75.25%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$53.9K $53.9K

-50.85%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$15.99 $15.99

414.38%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$2.09 $2.09

354.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$5.90 $5.90

310.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$16.03 $16.03

61.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$12.62 $12.62

50.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.52 $1.52

158.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$118 $118

162.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$1,936 $1,936

208.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$22.54 $22.54

160.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$25.35 $25.35

27.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$108 $108

-4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$71.2 $71.2

52.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$287 $287

65.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$203 $203

87.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$642 $642

30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$324 $324

123.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,312 $1,312

112.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$606 $606

99.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kelachay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $287 in Kelachay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Kelachay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $107 – making Kelachay 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 Kelachay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 95%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $779 in Kelachay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 320% less in Kelachay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $118 in Kelachay. 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 Kelachay, where all-in costs run around $519, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Kelachay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Kelachay. 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.