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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $863 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,686 in Qapshaghay, rent included.

Medellin costs about 19% more than Qapshaghay, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Qapshaghay are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Qapshaghay 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.3K

$7.93 ₸3,711

-25.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 119.5K

$19.36 ₸9,063

71.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 26.1K

$5.71 ₸2,673

26.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,176

$1.58 ₸740

8.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,940

$0.84 ₸392

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,760

$0.53 ₸248

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,294

$0.94 ₸440

86.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.5K

$1.14 ₸534

178.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,816

$1.27 ₸595

-16.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,687

$0.54 ₸254

140.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,958

$1.47 ₸688

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,958

$1.80 ₸843

22.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.3K

$9.46 ₸4,428

-52.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$4.72 ₸2,210

22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.3K

$7.57 ₸3,542

18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,235

$1.38 ₸648

65.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,815

$1.97 ₸921

-46.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,446

$1.97 ₸924

-23.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,900

$2.08 ₸971

-34.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,172

$0.61 ₸286

90.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,201

$0.40 ₸186

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,979

$1.31 ₸611

-36.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,063

$0.75 ₸349

13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,477

$1.49 ₸699

57.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.9K

$8.87 ₸4,149

25.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,159

$0.85 ₸396

35.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,910

$2.08 ₸973

18.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,845

$0.14 ₸67.0

464.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 150.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,173

$0.76 ₸355

89.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,836

$0.67 ₸314

183.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.7K

$4.66 ₸2,183

65.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,704

$0.48 ₸223

114.58%

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

$17.7K COP 63.7M

$23.6K ₸11.0M

-24.96%

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

$27.0K COP 97.3M

$26.9K ₸12.6M

0.36%

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

$81.4 COP 293.2K

$62.7 ₸29.3K

29.88%

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

$9.42 COP 33.9K

$8.81 ₸4,125

6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.6K

$13.75 ₸6,436

72.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 93.2K

$33.80 ₸15.8K

-23.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.6K

$5.31 ₸2,486

-23.73%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$260 ₸121.8K

20.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.9M

$4,887 ₸2.3M

24.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 212.0K

$56.1 ₸26.2K

4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 118.2K

$44.08 ₸20.6K

-25.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 361.9K

$97.5 ₸45.6K

3.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 382.8K

$120 ₸56.2K

-11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$385 ₸180.2K

27.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$271 ₸126.7K

36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$644 ₸301.6K

30.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$432 ₸202.1K

65.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,050 ₸491.5K

181.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$793 ₸371.3K

75.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Qapshaghay: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $385 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 in Medellin versus $19 in Qapshaghay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $186 – 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 19%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,294 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 $19.00 in Qapshaghay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 2% 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 $863, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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.