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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $847 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,393 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,938 in Pogradec, rent included.

Medellin costs about 98% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Pogradec is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.19 ALL 805

-21.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$39.39 ALL 3,112

21.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.74 ALL 611

27.78%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.57 ALL 124

99.36%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.94 ALL 153

-1.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.65 ALL 51.1

132.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.47 ALL 116

112.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.69 ALL 213

113.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.05 ALL 162

-29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.92 ALL 72.7

170.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.10 ALL 166

-15.71%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.21 ALL 175

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$8.41 ALL 664

19.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.49 ALL 355

125.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.24 ALL 1,125

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.23 ALL 97.5

236.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.35 ALL 186

-31.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.55 ALL 122

45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.24 ALL 98.2

81.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.02 ALL 80.9

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.04 ALL 81.9

48.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.03 ALL 81.3

13.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.85 ALL 67.1

54.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.28 ALL 338

-8.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.13 ALL 800

38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.23 ALL 96.8

41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.92 ALL 152

49.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.52 ALL 41.43

134.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$19.24 ALL 1,520

318.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.70 ALL 292

-64.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.92 ALL 152

14.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$18.83 ALL 1,487

-53.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.24 ALL 177

-38.84%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.1K ALL 2.7M

-18.32%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.7K ALL 2.0M

38.98%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$63.4 ALL 5,011

179.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$16.30 ALL 1,288

-14.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.24 ALL 1,362

72.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$35.85 ALL 2,832

25.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$19.00 ALL 1,501

-9.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$9.05 ALL 715

-26.52%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$101 ALL 7,962

706.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$50.9 ALL 4,020

75.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$57.0 ALL 4,499

3.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$101 ALL 8,000

36.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$148 ALL 11.7K

-30.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$185 ALL 14.6K

473.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$126 ALL 9,954

426.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$378 ALL 29.9K

399.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$248 ALL 19.6K

313.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,604 ALL 126.7K

160.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,534 ALL 121.2K

9.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$490 ALL 38.7K

38.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $185 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 38% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $220 – making Pogradec 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 98%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,270 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $847 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 $847, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.