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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $707 in Semey, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Semey, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,584 in Semey, rent included.

Medellin costs about 138% more than Semey, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Semey is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.97 ₸2,215

61.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$22.56 ₸10.1K

112.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$5.45 ₸2,429

81.47%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.69 ₸752

85.21%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.80 ₸354

138.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.52 ₸232

190.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$0.93 ₸413

235.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$1.41 ₸629

307.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.05 ₸467

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.33 ₸149

654.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.90 ₸846

-6.84%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.51 ₸675

96.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$5.44 ₸2,425

85.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.78 ₸1,685

167.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$5.28 ₸2,351

170.83%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$1.26 ₸562

228.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.68 ₸751

-4.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.74 ₸776

29.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.69 ₸753

33.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.38 ₸171

436.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.57 ₸252

170.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.27 ₸568

-7.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.97 ₸433

35.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.47 ₸1,101

57.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.10 ₸3,165

97.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.37 ₸613

27.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.18 ₸972

31.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.26 ₸116

369.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$16.98 ₸7,568

373.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.37 ₸611

-4.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.18 ₸526

85.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$6.69 ₸2,980

30.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.68 ₸302

101.47%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$24.2K ₸10.8M

14.96%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$26.0K ₸11.6M

37.36%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$33.94 ₸15.1K

422.39%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$8.78 ₸3,913

58.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$18.96 ₸8,451

56.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$42.68 ₸19.0K

5.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$11.09 ₸4,943

54.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.35 ₸1,938

52.87%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$133 ₸59.1K

513.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,381 ₸2.0M

109.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$28.67 ₸12.8K

212.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$25.42 ₸11.3K

131.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$102 ₸45.2K

36.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$75.2 ₸33.5K

35.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$353 ₸157.1K

201.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$234 ₸104.1K

183.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$637 ₸284.0K

196.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$484 ₸215.8K

112.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,235 ₸550.3K

238.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$822 ₸366.2K

103.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Semey: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $353 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Semey. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $155 – 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 138%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,061 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Semey. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $707 in Semey. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Semey, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.