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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,088 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,652 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,215 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Qapshaghay is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$11.03 ₸4,915

-27.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$22.06 ₸9,831

117.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.58 ₸2,931

50.30%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.81 ₸805

72.93%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.00 ₸444

91.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.65 ₸291

132.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.31 ₸583

138.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.36 ₸605

322.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.69 ₸755

-14.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.44 ₸195

465.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.13 ₸950

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.49 ₸1,109

18.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$12.29 ₸5,476

-18.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$6.86 ₸3,056

47.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$10.99 ₸4,897

30.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.89 ₸841

119.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$2.39 ₸1,065

-32.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$3.05 ₸1,359

-26.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$2.80 ₸1,250

-19.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.75 ₸334

172.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.55 ₸247

180.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.71 ₸761

-31.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$1.00 ₸448

31.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$1.60 ₸714

143.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$11.07 ₸4,934

26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.19 ₸532

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.37 ₸1,057

21.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.18 ₸80.1

577.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$16.06 ₸7,158

401.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.88 ₸393

48.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.70 ₸310

212.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$4.10 ₸1,827

112.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.57 ₸253

140.35%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$22.4K ₸10.0M

24.10%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$30.0K ₸13.4M

19.25%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$93.8 ₸41.8K

88.94%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.79 ₸4,808

28.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$17.49 ₸7,797

69.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$42.61 ₸19.0K

5.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$6.85 ₸3,051

-2.92%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$147 ₸65.7K

451.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,413 ₸2.0M

108.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$91.2 ₸40.6K

-1.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$46.94 ₸20.9K

25.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$142 ₸63.4K

-2.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$135 ₸60.1K

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$455 ₸202.7K

133.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$308 ₸137.4K

115.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$727 ₸323.9K

159.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$498 ₸221.8K

106.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,061 ₸472.7K

294.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$970 ₸432.4K

72.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

20.61

-46.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $455 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $249 – making Qapshaghay 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 Qapshaghay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,633 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Qapshaghay. 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 $1,088 in Qapshaghay. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qapshaghay, where all-in costs run around $1,088, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.