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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $680 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,449 in Orhei, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.02 MDL 157

-34.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$36.51 MDL 635

-9.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.69 MDL 134

-3.38%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.80 MDL 31.25

-8.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.99 MDL 17.22

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.68 MDL 11.84

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.73 MDL 30.06

-0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.29 MDL 39.86

38.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.30 MDL 22.51

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.56 MDL 9.79

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.44 MDL 25.05

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.55 MDL 44.25

-14.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$10.21 MDL 177

-56.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.41 MDL 94.0

7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.65 MDL 150

3.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.89 MDL 15.40

160.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.76 MDL 30.60

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.73 MDL 30.03

-12.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.16 MDL 37.62

-37.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.83 MDL 14.45

36.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.60 MDL 10.38

95.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.36 MDL 23.69

-33.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.85 MDL 14.70

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.15 MDL 54.7

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.22 MDL 21.15

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.92 MDL 33.40

29.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.18 MDL 3.18

372.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.06 MDL 35.89

-31.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.27 MDL 4.73

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$5.13 MDL 89.2

53.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.43 MDL 24.87

-30.77%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.7K MDL 568.1K

-46.15%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$31.0K MDL 538.8K

-13.56%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$173 MDL 3,011

-52.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.64 MDL 133

26.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$10.90 MDL 189

115.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.72 MDL 134

-48.83%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$396 MDL 6,878

-20.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$7,745 MDL 134.6K

-22.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$66.5 MDL 1,155

-9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$53.3 MDL 926

-40.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$112 MDL 1,950

-9.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$121 MDL 2,108

-11.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Orhei: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Orhei. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $180 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 47%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,020 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 $37.00 in Orhei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $680, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.