Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qazvin Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qazvin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $578 in Qazvin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $891 in Qazvin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,204 in Qazvin, rent included.

Medellin costs about 73% more than Qazvin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Qazvin are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Qazvin 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.03 $4.03

46.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$18.20 $18.20

81.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$3.41 $3.41

117.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.26 $1.26

30.95%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.45 $0.45

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$1.08 $1.08

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.59 $0.59

86.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.40 $0.40

215.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.85 $1.85

-25.41%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$0.86 $0.86

153.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$2.48 $2.48

81.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$2.05 $2.05

182.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$10.79 $10.79

-16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$0.74 $0.74

213.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.45 $1.45

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$0.82 $0.82

85.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.60 $0.60

126.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.54 $0.54

109.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.51 $0.51

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.63 $0.63

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.23 $0.23

291.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 $0.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.78 $1.78

25.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.21 $0.21

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$10.07 $10.07

313.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.20 $0.20

610.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.27 $0.27

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.05 $2.05

284.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.73 $0.73

35.62%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$42.0K $42.0K

-58.05%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$54.3K $54.3K

-50.65%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$15.86 $15.86

423.39%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$2.28 $2.28

325.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$5.75 $5.75

309.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$12.21 $12.21

106.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$9.90 $9.90

92.93%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$1.03 $1.03

283.50%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$30.42 $30.42

938.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$758 $758

688.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$30.03 $30.03

99.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$27.43 $27.43

16.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$100 $100

1.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$50.9 $50.9

111.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$411 $411

15.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$278 $278

34.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$617 $617

37.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$458 $458

57.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$831 $831

292.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$649 $649

122.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$323 $323

93.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-32.85%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Qazvin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $411 in Qazvin. 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 94% 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 $18.00 in Qazvin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $97.0 – making Qazvin 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 Qazvin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $867 in Qazvin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qazvin, 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 $18.00 in Qazvin. 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 $578 in Qazvin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Qazvin, where all-in costs run around $578, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Qazvin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qazvin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Qazvin. 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.