Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saryagash

For one person, living is cheaper in Saryagash: $881 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Saryagash, Kazakhstan
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Saryagash
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$881
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Saryagash

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 Saryagash actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $881 in Saryagash, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,692
  • Saryagash $881

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $1,429 in Saryagash, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,471
  • Saryagash $1,429

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $1,977 in Saryagash, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,249
  • Saryagash $1,977

Medellin costs about 92% more than Saryagash, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Saryagash is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.34 COP 26.9K
$9.71 ₸4,379
-14.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.53 COP 150.3K
$33.93 ₸15.3K
37.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.47 COP 30.6K
$7.73 ₸3,486
22.51%
Cappuccino
$3.13 COP 10.1K
$2.38 ₸1,071
31.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 COP 5,705
$1.06 ₸478
66.98%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42 COP 4,601
$0.59 ₸268
140.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.15 COP 10.2K
$1.30 ₸586
142.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.70 COP 18.4K
$2.08 ₸939
174.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 COP 4,950
$1.38 ₸624
10.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 COP 7,401
$0.48 ₸217
377.08%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 COP 6,282
$1.58 ₸711
22.78%
Eggs
$3.07 COP 9,905
$1.76 ₸794
74.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.99 COP 32.3K
$10.31 ₸4,647
-3.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.45 COP 33.7K
$5.76 ₸2,598
81.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.96 COP 45.1K
$8.92 ₸4,023
56.50%
Apples (1kg)
$4.05 COP 13.1K
$1.47 ₸662
175.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 COP 4,937
$2.20 ₸992
-30.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.10 COP 6,797
$2.34 ₸1,055
-10.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.29 COP 7,409
$2.19 ₸989
4.57%
Potato (1kg)
$2.11 COP 6,813
$0.71 ₸318
197.18%
Onion (1kg)
$1.71 COP 5,521
$0.52 ₸235
228.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 COP 3,780
$1.20 ₸542
-2.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.58 COP 5,104
$0.98 ₸442
61.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.91 COP 12.6K
$2.46 ₸1,108
58.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.04 COP 45.4K
$7.91 ₸3,566
77.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 COP 5,690
$1.18 ₸534
49.15%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 COP 8,760
$1.97 ₸888
37.56%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.18 COP 3,811
$0.21 ₸94.6
461.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.3 COP 246.4K
$16.91 ₸7,624
351.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.81 COP 5,836
$1.09 ₸493
66.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.13 COP 6,878
$0.76 ₸343
180.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.13 COP 26.3K
$6.08 ₸2,740
33.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 COP 4,119
$0.64 ₸287
100.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.4K COP 111.2M
$28.1K ₸12.7M
22.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.3M
$30.3K ₸13.7M
12.57%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$178 COP 574.1K
$67.4 ₸30.4K
163.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.89 COP 44.9K
$10.10 ₸4,551
37.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.74 COP 99.3K
$15.76 ₸7,105
95.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$41.94 COP 135.5K
$42.34 ₸19.1K
-0.94%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80 COP 54.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.47 COP 24.1K
$5.09 ₸2,296
46.76%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$790 COP 2.6M
$145 ₸65.6K
443.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.3K COP 39.7M
$4,404 ₸2.0M
179.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.3 COP 278.9K
$57.3 ₸25.8K
50.76%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.3 COP 191.4K
$45.68 ₸20.6K
29.73%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$138 COP 446.9K
$94.6 ₸42.6K
46.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.8 COP 319.2K
$89.9 ₸40.5K
9.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,341 COP 4.3M
$344 ₸155.2K
289.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$667 COP 2.2M
$231 ₸104.3K
188.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,976 COP 6.4M
$670 ₸302.1K
194.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,033 COP 3.3M
$495 ₸223.1K
108.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,098 COP 13.2M
$1,085 ₸488.9K
277.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,940 COP 6.3M
$855 ₸385.5K
126.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Saryagash
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$646 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
19.25
-43.17%

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Saryagash: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$667
Saryagash
$231 65.3% $436
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$307
Saryagash
$205 33.4% $103
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$222
Saryagash
$93 58.1% $129
Eating Out
Medellin
$173
Saryagash
$147 15% $26
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$172
Saryagash
$129 24.9% $43
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Saryagash
$23 75.8% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Saryagash
$53 7.7% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $344 in Saryagash. 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 $47 in Medellin versus $34 in Saryagash. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $307 vs $205 – making Saryagash the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇰🇿 Saryagash
🕒 Local time
04:13 4:13 AM
14:13 2:13 PM
10 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 3,230 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,628 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 451 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Saryagash 13,570 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Saryagash

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 Saryagash: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saryagash cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 92%, 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 $2,538 per month in Medellin and $1,321 in Saryagash. 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 Saryagash, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $344 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Saryagash?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $34 in Saryagash. 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 Saryagash?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,692 in Medellin and $881 in Saryagash. That makes Saryagash about 48% cheaper.
Is $1,200 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Saryagash?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Saryagash, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Saryagash it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Saryagash more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Saryagash – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Saryagash is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 48% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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