Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qebele Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qebele

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $619 in Qebele, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,105 in Qebele, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,592 in Qebele, rent included.

Medellin costs about 165% more than Qebele, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Qebele is 55% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$4.84 ₼8.23

66.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 149.1K

$17.93 ₼30.47

169.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.1K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,070

$2.45 ₼4.16

20.00%

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

$1.86 COP 5,754

$0.61 ₼1.03

204.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,494

$0.30 ₼0.51

386.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,915

$1.15 ₼1.96

179.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.67 ₼2.85

241.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,443

$1.30 ₼2.21

10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,413

$0.50 ₼0.86

380.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,245

$1.38 ₼2.34

23.19%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,925

$1.40 ₼2.37

106.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.1K

$5.72 ₼9.73

75.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.8K

$3.80 ₼6.47

162.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.9K

$11.35 ₼19.29

25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$0.84 ₼1.43

373.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,894

$1.81 ₼3.07

-12.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,646

$1.68 ₼2.86

27.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,101

$1.57 ₼2.68

46.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,189

$0.55 ₼0.94

263.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,661

$0.37 ₼0.62

308.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,713

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,959

$0.52 ₼0.88

146.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.57 ₼4.36

49.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.3K

$8.21 ₼13.96

70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,273

$1.56 ₼2.64

9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,468

$2.46 ₼4.19

11.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,847

$0.30 ₼0.51

316.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 240.5K

$59.4 ₼101

31.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,030

$2.26 ₼3.85

-42.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,702

$0.23 ₼0.39

843.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.6K

$1.19 ₼2.03

596.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,186

$0.66 ₼1.12

106.06%

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

$27.5K COP 84.8M

$12.7K ₼21.6K

116.20%

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

$36.5K COP 112.8M

$14.8K ₼25.1K

147.29%

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

$169 COP 521.0K

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

$13.57 COP 41.9K

$14.72 ₼25.02

-7.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.5K

$14.93 ₼25.37

89.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 141.1K

$17.34 ₼29.48

163.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.2K

$28.87 ₼49.07

-40.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$149 ₼253

438.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 269.7K

$23.09 ₼39.23

278.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 183.3K

$47.40 ₼80.6

25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 428.9K

$88.5 ₼150

56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 315.1K

$118 ₼201

-13.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$203 ₼345

427.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$148 ₼252

339.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$986 ₼1,675

95.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$476 ₼809

120.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$709 ₼1,205

481.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$291 ₼495

483.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$233 ₼396

180.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-21.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Qebele: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $203 in Qebele. 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 181% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Qebele. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $167 – making Qebele 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 Qebele: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 165%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $928 in Qebele. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Qebele, 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 $18.00 in Qebele. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $619 in Qebele. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qebele, where all-in costs run around $619, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Qebele it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Qebele – 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 Qebele. 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.