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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $701 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,130 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,559 in Osh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 141% more than Osh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Osh is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$4.69 KGS 410

68.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$23.12 KGS 2,021

92.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.42 KGS 823

-1.38%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.93 KGS 169

50.26%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.83 KGS 72.7

118.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.28 KGS 24.68

453.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.17 KGS 102

177.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.30 KGS 113

352.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.83 KGS 72.8

66.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.37 KGS 32.50

562.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.15 KGS 101

31.30%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.49 KGS 131

86.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$4.77 KGS 417

89.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.54 KGS 309

200.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.52 KGS 658

94.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$0.62 KGS 54.6

540.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.55 KGS 136

-10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.18 KGS 191

5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.21 KGS 105

66.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.47 KGS 40.73

344.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.47 KGS 41.02

246.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.63 KGS 55.0

71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.73 KGS 63.7

71.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.00 KGS 175

101.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$5.17 KGS 452

160.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.16 KGS 101

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.70 KGS 148

76.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.24 KGS 21.08

391.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$11.99 KGS 1,048

566.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.22 KGS 19.14

631.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.34 KGS 29.62

526.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.80 KGS 682

9.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.98 KGS 86.1

37.76%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$23.0K KGS 2.0M

23.05%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$17.1K KGS 1.5M

108.36%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$38.61 KGS 3,376

292.07%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$5.01 KGS 438

161.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$9.09 KGS 794

255.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$46.24 KGS 4,043

0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$19.66 KGS 1,719

-12.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$3.42 KGS 299

88.01%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$168 KGS 14.7K

396.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$1,899 KGS 166.0K

367.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$19.25 KGS 1,683

364.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$36.04 KGS 3,151

53.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$53.1 KGS 4,640

157.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$51.6 KGS 4,510

112.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$361 KGS 31.6K

163.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$276 KGS 24.1K

142.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$916 KGS 80.1K

120.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$579 KGS 50.7K

98.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,246 KGS 108.9K

196.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,022 KGS 89.4K

55.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$309 KGS 27.0K

102.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Osh: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $361 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 103% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Osh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $138 – 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 141%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,051 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $23.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $701 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 $701, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.