Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shahrekord Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shahrekord

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $520 in Shahrekord, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $803 in Shahrekord, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,086 in Shahrekord, rent included.

Medellin costs about 98% more than Shahrekord, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Shahrekord are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Shahrekord 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.45 $2.45

151.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.79 $16.79

94.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.59 $4.59

59.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 $1.06

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.68 $0.68

152.94%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.43 $0.43

144.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.01 $1.01

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.63 $0.63

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.53 $0.53

145.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.85 $1.85

-24.32%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.18 $1.18

83.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.42 $3.42

28.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.17 $3.17

85.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.88 $9.88

-12.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.84 $0.84

171.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.41 $1.41

-21.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.88 $0.88

73.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.57 $0.57

136.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.52 $0.52

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.49 $0.49

130.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.55 $0.55

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.23 $0.23

295.65%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.18 $2.18

7.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.22 $0.22

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$9.87 $9.87

311.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.34 $0.34

317.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.29 $0.29

562.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.95 $1.95

292.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.79 $0.79

25.32%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$73.1K $73.1K

-75.33%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$55.7K $55.7K

-52.22%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$15.73 $15.73

413.73%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$2.14 $2.14

364.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$5.62 $5.62

330.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$15.74 $15.74

59.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$12.66 $12.66

51.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.52 $1.52

161.84%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$117 $117

161.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,952 $1,952

210.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$22.60 $22.60

157.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.07 $25.07

28.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$111 $111

-9.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$69.3 $69.3

55.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$282 $282

68.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$199 $199

89.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$643 $643

31.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$314 $314

132.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$915 $915

251.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$496 $496

176.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$202 $202

204.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shahrekord: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $282 in Shahrekord. 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 205% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Shahrekord. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $106 – making Shahrekord 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 Shahrekord: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 98%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $780 in Shahrekord. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shahrekord, 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 $17.00 in Shahrekord. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $520 in Shahrekord. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shahrekord, where all-in costs run around $520, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Shahrekord it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shahrekord – 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 Shahrekord. 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.