Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oskemen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Oskemen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $754 in Oskemen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,215 in Oskemen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,677 in Oskemen, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Oskemen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Oskemen are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Oskemen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.95 ₸1,857

55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$18.61 ₸8,747

75.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.58 ₸1,681

105.03%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.02 ₸950

-14.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.81 ₸379

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.49 ₸231

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.40 ₸660

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.46 ₸685

117.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.09 ₸514

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.46 ₸216

182.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.15 ₸539

21.74%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.55 ₸728

39.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.57 ₸3,556

-42.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.61 ₸2,166

27.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.07 ₸3,321

22.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.16 ₸544

96.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.82 ₸857

-39.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.39 ₸1,126

-35.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.50 ₸1,176

-46.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.61 ₸285

85.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.44 ₸205

156.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.30 ₸143

183.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.79 ₸369

15.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.90 ₸891

23.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.80 ₸2,256

157.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.29 ₸605

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.43 ₸671

74.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.21 ₸98.6

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.95 ₸445

49.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 ₸138

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.11 ₸994

263.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.46 ₸214

115.22%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.6K ₸13.5M

-37.07%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.1K ₸12.8M

-1.91%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$40.39 ₸19.0K

100.07%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.55 ₸4,488

4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.80 ₸7,898

43.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.36 ₸11.0K

7.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$17.53 ₸8,238

9.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.33 ₸2,035

-8.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$59.5 ₸28.0K

412.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,502 ₸1.2M

142.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$118 ₸55.5K

-50.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$84.3 ₸39.6K

-61.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.3 ₸46.7K

1.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$92.2 ₸43.3K

16.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$328 ₸154.3K

45.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$222 ₸104.5K

69.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$534 ₸251.2K

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$473 ₸222.5K

54.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,060 ₸498.2K

203.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$787 ₸369.9K

74.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$773 ₸363.2K

-20.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-29.32%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Oskemen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $328 in Oskemen. 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 25% higher in Oskemen, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $19.00 in Oskemen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $164 – making Oskemen 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 Oskemen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,131 in Oskemen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Oskemen, 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 $19.00 in Oskemen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oskemen, where all-in costs run around $754, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Oskemen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Oskemen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Oskemen. 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.