Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Orhei Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Orhei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $677 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,063 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,449 in Orhei, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.65 MDL 149

-31.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.24 MDL 625

-9.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.43 MDL 128

-3.10%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.87 MDL 32.34

-9.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.93 MDL 16.08

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.65 MDL 11.15

10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.73 MDL 29.92

-3.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.40 MDL 41.33

29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.29 MDL 22.26

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.52 MDL 9.03

140.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.46 MDL 25.18

-4.79%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.59 MDL 44.71

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.56 MDL 182

-59.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.49 MDL 94.6

6.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.73 MDL 151

1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.90 MDL 15.61

148.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.84 MDL 31.76

-41.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.72 MDL 29.68

-11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.06 MDL 35.61

-33.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.84 MDL 14.45

34.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.56 MDL 9.65

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.31 MDL 22.60

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.83 MDL 14.34

9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.20 MDL 55.2

-27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 MDL 20.78

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.99 MDL 34.31

19.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.18 MDL 3.05

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.01 MDL 34.70

-28.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.25 MDL 4.28

664.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.28 MDL 91.0

51.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.42 MDL 24.43

-33.80%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.5K MDL 560.0K

-44.79%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$31.4K MDL 542.4K

-14.81%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$173 MDL 2,979

-51.38%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.41 MDL 128

29.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$10.68 MDL 184

126.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.43 MDL 128

-47.24%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$389 MDL 6,706

-21.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,585 MDL 130.8K

-21.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$66.9 MDL 1,154

-13.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$53.1 MDL 916

-40.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$114 MDL 1,966

-12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$121 MDL 2,089

-11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Orhei: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Orhei. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $181 in Orhei – so Orhei wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Orhei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,016 in Orhei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 5% 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 Orhei, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Orhei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Orhei – 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 Orhei. 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.