Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oral Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oral

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $739 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,475 in Oral, rent included.

Medellin costs about 127% more than Oral, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Oral is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$8.55 ₸3,835

-6.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$34.83 ₸15.6K

37.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$8.59 ₸3,849

15.13%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.92 ₸861

63.02%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.02 ₸458

87.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.64 ₸285

135.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$0.86 ₸384

262.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.96 ₸876

193.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.48 ₸663

-2.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.46 ₸208

441.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.70 ₸763

4.12%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$1.54 ₸689

92.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.02 ₸4,046

11.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.39 ₸1,969

130.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.03 ₸4,945

29.65%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.25 ₸562

231.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.01 ₸903

-19.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.30 ₸1,031

-2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.44 ₸1,542

-34.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$0.43 ₸193

374.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.35 ₸158

340.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.67 ₸302

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$1.10 ₸492

19.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.18 ₸979

78.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$7.76 ₸3,477

80.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$0.65 ₸290

167.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.21 ₸93.8

480.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$0.68 ₸306

92.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$5.43 ₸2,436

60.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$0.60 ₸268

128.33%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$30.8K ₸13.8M

16.23%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$83.9 ₸37.6K

111.25%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.80 ₸3,947

57.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$14.70 ₸6,591

102.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$55.6 ₸24.9K

-19.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$3.29 ₸1,474

102.13%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$33.89 ₸15.2K

164.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$280 ₸125.6K

279.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$212 ₸95.0K

212.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$454 ₸203.4K

316.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$312 ₸139.9K

229.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$433 ₸194.0K

56.62%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oral: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $280 in Oral. 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 57% 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 $35.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $196 – making Oral 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 Oral: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 127%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,109 in Oral. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 55% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $35.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Oral, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Oral it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oral – 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 Oral. 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.