Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khoy Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Khoy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $537 in Khoy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $834 in Khoy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,130 in Khoy.

Living in Medellin is roughly 87% more expensive than in Khoy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Khoy 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.96 $3.96

49.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$16.77 $16.77

96.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.62 $4.62

60.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.14 $1.14

44.74%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.43 $0.43

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.93 $0.93

-16.13%

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

$0.63 $0.63

74.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.53 $0.53

137.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.92 $1.92

-28.13%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.13 $1.13

92.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.44 $3.44

30.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.78 $3.78

53.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.70 $9.70

-7.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.85 $0.85

172.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.11 $1.11

-4.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.38 $1.38

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.54 $0.54

151.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.60 $0.60

88.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.72 $0.72

62.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.74 $0.74

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.28 $0.28

221.43%

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)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.21 $2.21

0.90%

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

$0.15 $0.15

466.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.97 $9.97

317.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.37 $0.37

283.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.27 $0.27

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.05 $2.05

284.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.78 $0.78

26.92%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$71.3K $71.3K

-75.30%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$55.9K $55.9K

-52.04%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$15.84 $15.84

424.05%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$2.06 $2.06

370.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.82 $5.82

304.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.29 $16.29

55.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$12.54 $12.54

52.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$1.46 $1.46

170.55%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$114 $114

177.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,946 $1,946

207.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$22.91 $22.91

161.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$24.73 $24.73

28.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$110 $110

-7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$70.7 $70.7

52.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$285 $285

66.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$197 $197

89.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$623 $623

36.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$325 $325

121.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,123 $1,123

190.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$583 $583

147.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$214 $214

192.39%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Khoy: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $285 in Khoy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 192% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $17.00 in Khoy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $111 per month, with Khoy 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 Khoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Khoy differ by about 87% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $537 including rent). Khoy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 192% 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 $285 in Khoy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khoy – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $537 in Khoy – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $537 in Khoy versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khoy but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Khoy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Khoy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Khoy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.