Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Qusar

For one person, living is cheaper in Qusar: $746 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Qusar, Azerbaijan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Qusar
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
$746
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Qusar

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Qusar actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $746 in Qusar, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Qusar $746

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,108 in Qusar, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Qusar $1,108

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,470 in Qusar, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Qusar $1,470

Medellin costs about 120% more than Qusar, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Qusar is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$7.78 ₼13.23
3.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.8K
$17.62 ₼29.94
167.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$8.05 ₼13.69
18.01%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,729
$1.81 ₼3.08
66.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,806
$0.72 ₼1.23
150.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,558
$0.23 ₼0.39
513.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$1.51 ₼2.56
110.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$1.73 ₼2.95
232.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,873
$0.92 ₼1.56
64.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,673
$0.30 ₼0.52
693.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,716
$1.37 ₼2.34
29.20%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,327
$1.10 ₼1.87
162.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$3.65 ₼6.20
179.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$3.20 ₼5.44
208.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$7.17 ₼12.18
95.12%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$0.45 ₼0.77
782.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,009
$1.46 ₼2.48
6.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,044
$1.20 ₼2.04
81.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$1.84 ₼3.13
18.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,333
$0.23 ₼0.39
752.17%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,129
$0.56 ₼0.95
183.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$0.20 ₼0.34
475.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,012
$0.34 ₼0.58
264.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$2.99 ₼5.09
32.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$9.07 ₼15.42
50.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,356
$1.56 ₼2.65
6.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,286
$2.92 ₼4.97
-22.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,769
$0.23 ₼0.39
408.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.7K
$11.82 ₼20.08
554.57%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,092
$1.19 ₼2.03
6.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,608
$0.57 ₼0.96
259.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$2.29 ₼3.88
273.36%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,346
$0.61 ₼1.03
121.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.9M
$19.2K ₼32.6K
77.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$22.4K ₼38.1K
54.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.5K
$47.37 ₼80.5
258.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$11.44 ₼19.43
18.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$11.64 ₼19.78
141.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.0K
$19.32 ₼32.84
126.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$11.62 ₼19.75
47.93%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$5.42 ₼9.22
27.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$72.0 ₼122
1006.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$3,504 ₼5,955
160.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.4K
$40.69 ₼69.2
108.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.0K
$40.58 ₼69.0
42.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.5K
$104 ₼176
30.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.8K
$70.0 ₼119
39.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$336 ₼571
259.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$257 ₼436
149.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$497 ₼845
307.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$391 ₼664
159.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$1,412 ₼2,400
195.31%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,237 ₼2,102
54.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Qusar
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$412 ₼701
59.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
7.85
39.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Qusar: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Qusar
$257 60% $385
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Qusar
$134 54.9% $163
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Qusar
$70 66.7% $141
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Qusar
$123 27.5% $47
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Qusar
$115 32.1% $54
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Qusar
$17 82.1% $77
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Qusar
$30 47.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $336 in Qusar. 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 59% 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 $47 in Medellin versus $18 in Qusar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $134 – making Qusar the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇦🇿 Qusar
🕒 Local time
23:22 11:22 PM
08:22 8:22 AM
9 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
18,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AZN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Azerbaijani Manat exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 1.7 AZN (1 AZN = 0.588 USD). 1 EUR = 1.9 AZN (1 AZN = 0.525 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Qusar 12,250 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Qusar

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Qusar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Qusar cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 120%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,119 in Qusar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Qusar, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $336 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Qusar?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $18 in Qusar. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Qusar?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $746 in Qusar. That makes Qusar about 55% cheaper.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Qusar?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Qusar, where all-in costs run around $746, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Qusar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Qusar more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Qusar – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Qusar. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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