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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $683 in Orhei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,076 in Orhei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,470 in Orhei, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Orhei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Orhei are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Orhei 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.03 MDL 156

-34.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$35.89 MDL 620

-7.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.64 MDL 132

-5.37%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.81 MDL 31.32

-9.94%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.98 MDL 16.94

11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.64 MDL 11.01

14.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.80 MDL 31.04

-3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.27 MDL 39.26

42.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.22 MDL 21.13

-13.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.56 MDL 9.66

130.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.47 MDL 25.33

-10.20%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.52 MDL 43.48

-9.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.25 MDL 177

-57.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.57 MDL 96.2

5.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.66 MDL 150

-0.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.91 MDL 15.76

147.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.76 MDL 30.36

-39.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.77 MDL 30.57

-14.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.16 MDL 37.36

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.77 MDL 13.34

51.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.58 MDL 10.08

101.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.32 MDL 22.78

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.84 MDL 14.47

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.17 MDL 54.7

-29.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.27 MDL 22.01

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.98 MDL 34.17

20.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.16 MDL 2.68

425.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$2.10 MDL 36.23

-32.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.27 MDL 4.69

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.25 MDL 90.7

47.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.42 MDL 24.51

-28.87%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$31.6K MDL 545.4K

-44.34%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$30.9K MDL 533.6K

-14.25%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$171 MDL 2,955

-51.10%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$7.62 MDL 132

24.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$10.96 MDL 189

119.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.49 MDL 129

-45.26%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$386 MDL 6,666

-19.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,640 MDL 131.9K

-21.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$65.2 MDL 1,127

-11.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$53.4 MDL 922

-39.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$114 MDL 1,967

-12.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$124 MDL 2,139

-12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Orhei: June 6, 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 49%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,024 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 $683, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.