Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Osh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Osh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $565 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $952 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,338 in Osh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 83% more than Osh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Osh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Osh 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$3.38 KGS 296

75.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$14.78 KGS 1,294

121.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.60 KGS 490

28.57%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.40 KGS 123

21.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.70 KGS 61.0

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.21 KGS 18.32

242.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.22 KGS 107

36.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.17 KGS 102

164.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.89 KGS 77.6

19.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.41 KGS 35.90

204.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.89 KGS 77.7

56.18%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.55 KGS 136

45.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.83 KGS 511

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.69 KGS 411

24.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.32 KGS 641

20.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.22 KGS 19.20

918.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$0.88 KGS 76.8

22.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.80 KGS 245

-45.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.11 KGS 97.2

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.37 KGS 32.17

205.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.36 KGS 31.13

211.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.22 KGS 19.22

286.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.59 KGS 51.6

54.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$0.70 KGS 61.6

232.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.00 KGS 438

122.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.13 KGS 98.8

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.50 KGS 132

58.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.16 KGS 13.86

393.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$23.07 KGS 2,019

78.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.19 KGS 16.51

905.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$1.46 KGS 128

449.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.83 KGS 72.8

13.25%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$22.7K KGS 2.0M

-21.19%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$37.72 KGS 3,301

122.59%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$4.08 KGS 357

135.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$7.41 KGS 649

226.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$25.80 KGS 2,258

0.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$34.51 KGS 3,021

-44.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$2.31 KGS 202

69.70%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$91.3 KGS 7,987

235.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$1,851 KGS 162.0K

219.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$17.33 KGS 1,516

234.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$22.97 KGS 2,010

38.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$57.0 KGS 4,987

75.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$46.45 KGS 4,065

130.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$369 KGS 32.3K

31.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$183 KGS 16.0K

100.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$738 KGS 64.6K

11.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$462 KGS 40.4K

55.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,245 KGS 109.0K

134.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,027 KGS 89.9K

36.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$304 KGS 26.6K

79.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Osh: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $369 in Osh. 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 79% 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 $15.00 in Osh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $137 – making Osh 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 Osh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 83%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $848 in Osh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Osh, 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 $15.00 in Osh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $565 in Osh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Osh, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Osh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Osh – 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 Osh. 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.