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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $559 in Osh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $935 in Osh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,311 in Osh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 82% more than Osh, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Osh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Osh 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.47 KGS 303

71.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.84 KGS 1,297

124.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.67 KGS 496

27.51%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.40 KGS 122

16.43%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.68 KGS 59.4

60.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.23 KGS 20.13

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.17 KGS 103

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.18 KGS 103

173.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 KGS 77.6

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.39 KGS 33.86

230.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.88 KGS 76.6

50.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.54 KGS 135

47.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.63 KGS 492

-22.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.63 KGS 404

27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.53 KGS 658

14.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.22 KGS 19.19

922.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.93 KGS 81.3

15.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.84 KGS 249

-46.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.17 KGS 102

21.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.39 KGS 34.45

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.33 KGS 28.46

254.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.24 KGS 21.06

270.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 KGS 48.73

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$0.71 KGS 62.4

216.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.09 KGS 445

116.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.16 KGS 101

-1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.45 KGS 126

64.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.15 KGS 12.76

460.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$22.92 KGS 2,004

83.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.17 KGS 14.79

1017.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.40 KGS 122

453.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.82 KGS 72.0

23.17%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.8K KGS 2.0M

-22.87%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$36.85 KGS 3,222

127.08%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$4.20 KGS 367

125.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.37 KGS 644

227.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$25.38 KGS 2,218

-0.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$34.37 KGS 3,004

-44.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.31 KGS 202

77.49%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$91.7 KGS 8,020

240.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,924 KGS 168.2K

211.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$17.36 KGS 1,518

234.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$22.51 KGS 1,968

44.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$56.8 KGS 4,961

75.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$46.12 KGS 4,032

135.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$376 KGS 32.8K

28.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$182 KGS 15.9K

108.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$751 KGS 65.6K

11.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$450 KGS 39.3K

60.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,222 KGS 106.9K

132.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,031 KGS 90.1K

18.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$308 KGS 27.0K

75.40%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Osh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $376 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 75% 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 82%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $838 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $559 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 $559, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.