Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khost Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khost

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $399 in Khost.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $595 in Khost.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $791 in Khost.

Living in Medellin is roughly 321% more expensive than in Khost, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Khost is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$2.71 ؋175

195.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$7.65 ؋493

525.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$4.65 ؋299

112.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 ؋146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 ؋121

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.13 ؋72.8

176.99%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$0.49 ؋31.34

289.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.15 ؋9.53

906.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.87 ؋55.9

65.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$0.25 ؋16.15

896.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.80 ؋116

-1.67%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.59 ؋103

86.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$4.32 ؋279

133.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.89 ؋251

160.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$6.82 ؋439

109.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$0.72 ؋46.69

475.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.84 ؋54.3

91.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.95 ؋61.2

136.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$0.55 ؋35.36

309.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.60 ؋38.67

240.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.50 ؋32.36

208.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.30 ؋19.49

290.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.39 ؋25.31

235.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 ؋121

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 ؋67.0

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.44 ؋157

59.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.44 ؋28.31

177.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$18.82 ؋1,213

327.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.81 ؋52.0

61.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.48 ؋31.12

356.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$2.37 ؋153

267.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.03 ؋66.7

33.01%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$8,376 ؋539.8K

232.34%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$34.9K ؋2.3M

2.47%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$43.16 ؋2,782

310.80%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$12.84 ؋827

8.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$96.3 ؋6,209

-69.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$7.61 ؋490

489.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$5.98 ؋386

186.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$2.37 ؋152

180.59%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$20.46 ؋1,319

3873.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$1,043 ؋67.2K

781.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$10.49 ؋676

753.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$16.27 ؋1,048

262.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$57.5 ؋3,704

140.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$24.65 ؋1,589

314.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$30.67 ؋1,976

3362.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$15.67 ؋1,010

4130.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$76.4 ؋4,922

2372.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$45.39 ؋2,925

2162.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$185 ؋12.0K

265.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Khost: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $30.67 in Khost. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 265% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $8.00 in Khost for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $102 per month, with Khost cheaper across the board.

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 Khost: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khost is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 321% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 265% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $30.67 in Khost. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khost – a meal for two runs $8.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $399 in Khost – a 321% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $399 in Khost versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khost but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Khost the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khost is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Khost gentler on the wallet – expenses run 321% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.