Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahabad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mahabad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $464 in Mahabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Mahabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,015 in Mahabad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 262% more than Mahabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Mahabad is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$2.80 $2.80

186.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$16.25 $16.25

194.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.11 $4.11

140.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 $0.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$0.97 $0.97

222.68%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$0.49 $0.49

289.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.03 $1.03

46.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.18 $1.18

22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.44 $0.44

465.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.21 $2.21

-19.91%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.18 $1.18

150.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.53 $8.53

18.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.07 $3.07

229.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.07 $7.07

102.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$0.72 $0.72

475.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.22 $1.22

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.89 $0.89

152.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$0.44 $0.44

411.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.51 $0.51

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.43 $0.43

258.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.48 $0.48

143.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.29 $0.29

351.72%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.24 $2.24

74.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.20 $0.20

510.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$6.82 $6.82

1080.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.48 $0.48

172.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.27 $0.27

711.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$2.36 $2.36

269.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.09 $0.09

1422.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$53.8K $53.8K

-48.25%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$39.7K $39.7K

-9.84%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$14.42 $14.42

1129.54%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$1.63 $1.63

751.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$3.69 $3.69

705.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$8.71 $8.71

415.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$12.32 $12.32

38.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$1.46 $1.46

355.48%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$106 $106

668.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,511 $1,511

507.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$20.01 $20.01

347.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$28.33 $28.33

108.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$56.4 $56.4

145.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$29.21 $29.21

249.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$290 $290

266.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$201 $201

229.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$676 $676

179.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$336 $336

205.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$838 $838

398.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$558 $558

200.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$275 $275

146.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.21

-52.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mahabad: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $290 in Mahabad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 146% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Mahabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $116 – making Mahabad 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 Mahabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 262%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $696 in Mahabad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mahabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $106 in Mahabad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 162% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mahabad, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Mahabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mahabad – 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 Mahabad. 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.