Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kruje Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Kruje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,098 in Kruje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,632 in Kruje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,166 in Kruje.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 9% less than in Kruje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Kruje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.15 ALL 744

-35.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$36.36 ALL 2,954

-9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.23 ALL 588

2.77%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.90 ALL 154

-13.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.65 ALL 134

-33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.86 ALL 70.3

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.31 ALL 188

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.24 ALL 264

-1.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.04 ALL 166

-46.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.93 ALL 75.4

35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.96 ALL 159

-29.59%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.95 ALL 240

-26.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.73 ALL 790

-53.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$7.79 ALL 633

-25.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.37 ALL 1,086

-32.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.72 ALL 140

34.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.48 ALL 201

-57.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.75 ALL 142

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.32 ALL 107

3.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.06 ALL 86.1

6.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.19 ALL 96.6

-1.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.11 ALL 89.9

-18.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.78 ALL 63.4

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.14 ALL 337

-46.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.88 ALL 802

22.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.64 ALL 133

-27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.74 ALL 142

42.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.49 ALL 39.75

73.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$18.90 ALL 1,536

120.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.40 ALL 276

-58.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.15 ALL 256

-38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$17.61 ALL 1,431

-55.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.16 ALL 175

-54.17%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

-49.22%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$25.3K ALL 2.1M

6.04%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$66.2 ALL 5,379

25.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.23 ALL 1,400

-43.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$15.90 ALL 1,292

47.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$54.1 ALL 4,398

-53.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$25.39 ALL 2,063

-24.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.01 ALL 651

-50.69%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$162 ALL 13.1K

95.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,677 ALL 461.3K

5.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$46.36 ALL 3,766

29.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$49.90 ALL 4,054

-36.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.0 ALL 7,721

6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$130 ALL 10.5K

-17.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$446 ALL 36.2K

6.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$347 ALL 28.2K

7.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$622 ALL 50.5K

36.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$436 ALL 35.4K

64.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,910 ALL 155.2K

70.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,259 ALL 102.3K

14.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$649 ALL 52.8K

-3.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kruje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $446 in Kruje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kruje pays 4% 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 $36.00 in Kruje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $245 per month, with Medellin 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 Kruje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Kruje differ by about 10% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $1,098 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Kruje. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $446 in Kruje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,098 in Kruje – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 120% less than in Kruje. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,098 in Kruje, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Kruje. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Kruje. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.