Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mazar-i-Sharif Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mazar-i-Sharif

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,716 in Medellin versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,527 in Medellin versus $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,338 in Medellin versus $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Medellin is roughly 494% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 25% above, Mazar-i-Sharif is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$2.32 ؋149

246.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.0K

$15.11 ؋974

219.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.6K

$3.84 ؋247

154.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 ؋484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 ؋488

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,107

$1.17 ؋75.6

148.72%

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

$1.94 COP 6,082

$0.54 ؋34.68

259.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,760

$0.29 ؋18.68

424.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,676

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,267

$0.59 ؋38.21

130.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,470

$0.16 ؋10.16

1393.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,321

$2.02 ؋130

-15.84%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,979

$1.61 ؋104

78.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$7.76 ؋500

28.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.37 ؋217

219.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.1K

$6.16 ؋397

139.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$0.56 ؋35.89

630.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,917

$1.11 ؋71.5

41.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,651

$0.81 ؋52.3

162.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,926

$0.64 ؋40.97

245.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,404

$0.49 ؋31.89

318.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,706

$0.38 ؋24.54

294.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,723

$0.51 ؋32.77

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,623

$0.31 ؋20.00

274.19%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.56 ؋101

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,955

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,847

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

$0.78 ؋50.3

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,019

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,546

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.0K

$1.50 ؋96.8

474.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,061

$1.46 ؋94.1

-10.96%

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

$27.7K COP 86.5M

$10.1K ؋650.8K

173.97%

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

$35.5K COP 111.1M

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

$176 COP 550.9K

$79.4 ؋5,120

121.69%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$16.71 ؋1,077

-19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.0K

$11.48 ؋740

289.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

$3.71 ؋239

359.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.59 ؋296

35.08%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$76.0 ؋4,902

943.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.8K

$13.04 ؋840

556.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 426.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.6K

$18.26 ؋1,178

464.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$226 ؋14.5K

194.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 195% 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 $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $303 vs $105 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 494% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 195% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 190% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,716 per month in Medellin versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif – a 494% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 494% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.