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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $750 in Oral, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Oral, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,577 in Oral, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Oral, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Oral are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Oral 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.27 ₸3,360

-18.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$30.64 ₸14.2K

6.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.29 ₸3,371

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.70 ₸784

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.90 ₸415

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.57 ₸261

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.81 ₸374

106.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.80 ₸832

72.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.24 ₸574

-14.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.38 ₸174

228.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.45 ₸673

-4.14%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.33 ₸615

69.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.86 ₸3,634

-44.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.90 ₸1,802

49.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.73 ₸4,498

-9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.05 ₸485

113.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.86 ₸862

-41.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.01 ₸930

-23.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.95 ₸1,365

-53.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.40 ₸185

182.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.31 ₸144

261.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.64 ₸295

32.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.95 ₸441

-4.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.79 ₸830

30.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.48 ₸3,459

48.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.61 ₸283

95.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.52 ₸702

55.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.22 ₸101

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.57 ₸265

152.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.66 ₸306

189.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.79 ₸2,216

67.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.50 ₸231

88.00%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$19.7K ₸9.1M

-9.09%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$24.4K ₸11.3M

9.74%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$73.7 ₸34.1K

13.87%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.93 ₸3,669

21.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$12.54 ₸5,797

92.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$69.0 ₸31.9K

-62.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.96 ₸1,367

32.43%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$208 ₸96.4K

46.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,923 ₸2.3M

20.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$29.77 ₸13.8K

94.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$35.77 ₸16.5K

-11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$88.9 ₸41.1K

12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$77.7 ₸35.9K

37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$249 ₸115.0K

95.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$187 ₸86.4K

96.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$394 ₸182.0K

109.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$273 ₸126.3K

162.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$429 ₸198.2K

27.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.39

-26.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Oral: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $249 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 27% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Oral. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $176 – 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 38%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,125 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Oral. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 Oral, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.