Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pogradec Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pogradec

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,499 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,991 in Pogradec, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$8.02 ALL 655

-25.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$37.69 ALL 3,079

-11.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.28 ALL 595

-0.69%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.93 ALL 75.7

75.27%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.60 ALL 131

-31.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.70 ALL 56.8

4.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.37 ALL 112

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.52 ALL 206

28.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.02 ALL 165

-48.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.85 ALL 69.5

51.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.02 ALL 165

-34.65%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.06 ALL 168

10.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.43 ALL 607

-41.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.14 ALL 338

42.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.17 ALL 1,076

-34.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.16 ALL 94.9

93.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$2.37 ALL 193

-54.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.39 ALL 113

9.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.20 ALL 98.2

18.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.93 ALL 75.8

25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.97 ALL 79.1

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.97 ALL 79.3

-8.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.72 ALL 58.6

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.96 ALL 324

-43.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$9.93 ALL 811

11.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.17 ALL 95.3

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.76 ALL 144

35.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.48 ALL 39.34

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$19.06 ALL 1,557

120.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.47 ALL 283

-59.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.60 ALL 130

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$17.57 ALL 1,436

-55.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.11 ALL 172

-52.13%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.0K ALL 2.8M

-48.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

6.16%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$67.0 ALL 5,476

24.84%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$17.67 ALL 1,444

-46.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.99 ALL 1,306

50.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$55.3 ALL 4,520

-54.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$25.27 ALL 2,064

-24.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.05 ALL 658

-49.07%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$94.0 ALL 7,680

231.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.63 ALL 3,810

24.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$53.6 ALL 4,378

-39.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$95.8 ALL 7,830

3.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$142 ALL 11.6K

-23.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$443 ALL 36.2K

8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$338 ALL 27.6K

12.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$611 ALL 49.9K

37.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$437 ALL 35.7K

65.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,552 ALL 126.8K

83.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,451 ALL 118.6K

-15.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$462 ALL 37.7K

17.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $443 in Pogradec. 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 17% 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 $38.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $206 – making Medellin 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 Pogradec: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,510 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pogradec, 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 $38.00 in Pogradec. 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 $1,007 in Pogradec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Pogradec, where all-in costs run around $1,007, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Pogradec it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pogradec – 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 Pogradec. 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.