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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,006 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,536 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,066 in Pogradec, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Pogradec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Medellin and Pogradec are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Pogradec 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$8.03 ALL 655

-26.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$36.74 ALL 3,000

-10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.91 ALL 564

4.20%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$0.90 ALL 73.7

88.89%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.62 ALL 133

-32.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.73 ALL 59.8

-1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.42 ALL 116

17.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.55 ALL 208

21.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.04 ALL 167

-48.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.84 ALL 68.6

48.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.94 ALL 158

-28.35%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.17 ALL 177

4.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.49 ALL 611

-42.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.22 ALL 345

38.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$13.10 ALL 1,070

-32.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.15 ALL 94.1

94.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.45 ALL 200

-55.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.39 ALL 113

10.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.21 ALL 99.1

13.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.95 ALL 77.9

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.92 ALL 75.0

21.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.98 ALL 80.3

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.72 ALL 59.0

26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.00 ALL 327

-41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$10.21 ALL 834

9.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 ALL 97.6

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.79 ALL 146

32.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.49 ALL 39.73

61.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$19.07 ALL 1,557

115.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.52 ALL 288

-59.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.54 ALL 126

24.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$17.85 ALL 1,458

-55.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.19 ALL 179

-57.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

-48.29%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$25.7K ALL 2.1M

4.31%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$66.6 ALL 5,435

26.12%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$17.43 ALL 1,423

-44.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$15.65 ALL 1,277

54.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$55.8 ALL 4,552

-53.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$25.57 ALL 2,088

-25.54%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.20 ALL 670

-52.20%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$95.4 ALL 7,793

221.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$47.50 ALL 3,878

21.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$52.8 ALL 4,314

-39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$93.4 ALL 7,625

6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$140 ALL 11.4K

-23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$442 ALL 36.1K

10.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$342 ALL 27.9K

7.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$618 ALL 50.5K

33.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$431 ALL 35.2K

66.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,599 ALL 130.6K

82.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,462 ALL 119.4K

-3.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$464 ALL 37.9K

17.44%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $442 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 $37.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $208 – 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 3%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,509 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 $37.00 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $1,006 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 $1,006, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.