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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $49.52 in Khost.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $86.0 in Khost.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $122 in Khost.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1925% more expensive than in Khost, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Khost 96% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.88 ؋123

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.45 ؋29.23

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$17.36 ؋1,138

139.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.73 ؋47.98

94.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.70 ؋45.74

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.22 ؋145

255.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.12 ؋73.3

-11.61%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$7.09 ؋465

256.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$5.59 ؋367

241.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.93 ؋192

34.81%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$29.22 ؋1,916

1525.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$14.54 ؋953

2472.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$72.0 ؋4,717

1080.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$43.78 ؋2,870

1543.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$185 ؋12.1K

237.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Khost: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $29.22 in Khost. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 238% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 1925% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 238% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $29.22 in Khost. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khost runs roughly 140% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $49.52 in Khost – a 1925% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $49.52 in Khost versus $1,003 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 1925% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.