Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Semey Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Semey

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $686 in Semey, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,092 in Semey, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,498 in Semey, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Semey, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Semey are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Semey 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.39 ₸2,080

34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$27.29 ₸12.9K

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.89 ₸2,317

51.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.58 ₸748

4.43%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.92 ₸437

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.56 ₸265

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.20 ₸569

43.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.83 ₸866

73.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.68 ₸320

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.32 ₸150

293.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.60 ₸757

-13.75%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.35 ₸640

61.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.84 ₸4,190

-49.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.72 ₸2,238

22.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.24 ₸3,431

23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.28 ₸608

81.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.96 ₸931

-45.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.98 ₸938

-23.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.97 ₸933

-30.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.59 ₸280

91.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.38 ₸179

207.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.94 ₸445

-4.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.77 ₸366

16.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.57 ₸1,216

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$6.82 ₸3,235

77.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.92 ₸437

29.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.58 ₸749

56.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.21 ₸99.8

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.94 ₸448

51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.63 ₸299

209.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$4.79 ₸2,272

64.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.50 ₸236

98.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.8K ₸9.4M

-11.08%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$24.6K ₸11.7M

8.84%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.8 ₸24.1K

63.57%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$8.86 ₸4,200

9.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$12.85 ₸6,091

83.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$33.68 ₸16.0K

-25.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$10.02 ₸4,750

90.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.36 ₸2,066

-9.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$212 ₸100.4K

49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,962 ₸2.4M

20.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$57.2 ₸27.1K

4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$35.47 ₸16.8K

-10.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$88.3 ₸41.9K

15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$77.0 ₸36.5K

39.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$309 ₸146.3K

53.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$202 ₸95.8K

85.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$529 ₸250.7K

60.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$384 ₸182.1K

87.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,036 ₸491.0K

215.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$893 ₸423.1K

61.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Semey: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $309 in Semey. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Semey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $166 – making Semey 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 Semey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,029 in Semey. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Semey, 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 $27.00 in Semey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semey, where all-in costs run around $686, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Semey it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Semey – 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 Semey. 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.