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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $520 in Kelachay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $818 in Kelachay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,117 in Kelachay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 98% more than Kelachay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Kelachay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Kelachay 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.89 $3.89

58.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.16 $17.16

89.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.53 $4.53

62.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.11 $1.11

54.95%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.45 $0.45

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.94 $0.94

-18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.60 $0.60

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 $0.53

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.93 $1.93

-27.46%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.13 $1.13

91.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.48 $3.48

26.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.32 $3.32

77.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.85 $9.85

-12.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.84 $0.84

171.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.37 $1.37

-18.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.84 $0.84

82.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.53 $0.53

154.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.52 $0.52

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.46 $0.46

145.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.58 $0.58

46.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.25 $0.25

264.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.16 $2.16

8.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.22 $0.22

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.87 $9.87

311.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.34 $0.34

317.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.27 $0.27

611.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.97 $1.97

288.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.77 $0.77

28.57%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$73.9K $73.9K

-75.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$55.0K $55.0K

-51.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$15.99 $15.99

405.38%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$2.11 $2.11

371.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$5.66 $5.66

327.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$15.94 $15.94

57.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$12.45 $12.45

53.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.46 $1.46

172.60%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$117 $117

161.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,974 $1,974

206.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$22.53 $22.53

158.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.85 $24.85

29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$110 $110

-8.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$71.3 $71.3

51.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$284 $284

67.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$199 $199

88.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$645 $645

31.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$323 $323

125.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,248 $1,248

157.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$500 $500

174.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kelachay: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $284 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: $193 vs $106 – 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 98%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $780 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 311% less in Kelachay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $117 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 $520, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.