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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,012 in Pogradec, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,536 in Pogradec, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,059 in Pogradec, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Pogradec, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$8.45 ALL 687

-30.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$37.70 ALL 3,063

-12.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.24 ALL 588

2.62%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.95 ALL 77.2

73.68%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.60 ALL 130

-31.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.69 ALL 55.9

13.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.39 ALL 113

23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.62 ALL 213

21.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.00 ALL 162

-45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.90 ALL 73.0

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.94 ALL 157

-28.87%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.06 ALL 168

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.47 ALL 607

-39.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.22 ALL 343

37.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$13.30 ALL 1,080

-32.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.17 ALL 95.0

98.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$2.44 ALL 199

-56.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.43 ALL 117

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.15 ALL 93.6

18.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.92 ALL 74.8

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.95 ALL 77.6

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.98 ALL 79.6

-8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.77 ALL 62.8

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.02 ALL 327

-44.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.00 ALL 813

21.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.15 ALL 93.8

3.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.73 ALL 141

43.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.48 ALL 39.04

77.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$19.10 ALL 1,551

117.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.44 ALL 279

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.55 ALL 126

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$17.75 ALL 1,442

-55.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.17 ALL 177

-54.38%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$34.9K ALL 2.8M

-49.53%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

7.63%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$68.4 ALL 5,557

21.36%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$17.21 ALL 1,398

-43.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.15 ALL 1,312

45.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$55.9 ALL 4,544

-54.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$24.92 ALL 2,025

-23.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.99 ALL 649

-50.56%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$95.1 ALL 7,724

232.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$47.49 ALL 3,858

26.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$53.0 ALL 4,308

-39.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$93.7 ALL 7,609

8.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$141 ALL 11.5K

-23.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$455 ALL 37.0K

4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$339 ALL 27.5K

10.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$618 ALL 50.2K

37.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$431 ALL 35.0K

66.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,551 ALL 126.0K

110.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,448 ALL 117.7K

-0.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$465 ALL 37.8K

34.24%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Pogradec: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $455 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 34% higher in Medellin, 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 $38.00 in Pogradec. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $207 – 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 – Pogradec 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,519 in Pogradec. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,012 in Pogradec. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Pogradec at $1,012. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pogradec it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pogradec makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.