Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qapshaghay Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qapshaghay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $865 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,292 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,718 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Qapshaghay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Qapshaghay 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$7.97 ₸3,871

-24.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$19.91 ₸9,671

65.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$5.79 ₸2,812

22.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$1.57 ₸765

8.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.89 ₸433

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.54 ₸262

44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$0.94 ₸456

78.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.20 ₸583

155.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$1.32 ₸640

-17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$0.56 ₸271

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.49 ₸726

-7.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.73 ₸842

26.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$9.34 ₸4,536

-52.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$4.53 ₸2,202

24.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$7.70 ₸3,742

15.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.40 ₸678

67.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$1.97 ₸958

-46.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$1.96 ₸951

-23.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$2.06 ₸1,001

-33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$0.59 ₸285

94.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.40 ₸194

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$1.25 ₸609

-28.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.73 ₸356

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$1.48 ₸720

54.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$10.41 ₸5,055

2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$0.90 ₸438

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$2.14 ₸1,041

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.17 ₸80.9

405.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.70 ₸341

110.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$0.63 ₸304

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$4.58 ₸2,225

69.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$0.51 ₸249

86.27%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$23.2K ₸11.3M

-21.95%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$27.1K ₸13.1M

-2.09%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$63.6 ₸30.9K

29.38%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$8.60 ₸4,178

10.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$13.69 ₸6,648

76.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$32.65 ₸15.9K

-20.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$5.34 ₸2,594

-26.40%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$261 ₸126.6K

18.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$4,803 ₸2.3M

24.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$55.6 ₸27.0K

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$44.32 ₸21.5K

-27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$96.8 ₸47.0K

5.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$122 ₸59.4K

-11.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$392 ₸190.3K

21.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$271 ₸131.7K

39.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$642 ₸312.1K

30.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$440 ₸214.0K

64.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$933 ₸453.4K

198.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$850 ₸412.8K

42.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

18.39

-26.97%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $392 in Qapshaghay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $20.00 in Qapshaghay. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $188 in Qapshaghay – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Qapshaghay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 17%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,298 in Qapshaghay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qapshaghay, 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 $20.00 in Qapshaghay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qapshaghay, where all-in costs run around $865, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Qapshaghay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qapshaghay – 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 Qapshaghay. 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.