Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shkoder Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shkoder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $922 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,784 in Shkoder, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$6.04 ALL 496

-0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$32.04 ALL 2,627

2.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.61 ALL 378

53.80%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.79 ALL 147

-4.47%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.57 ALL 129

-29.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.80 ALL 65.7

-2.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.43 ALL 199

-30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.18 ALL 260

-3.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.06 ALL 169

-47.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.93 ALL 75.9

35.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.01 ALL 165

-31.34%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.91 ALL 239

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.87 ALL 563

-35.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.89 ALL 401

15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.35 ALL 849

-14.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.52 ALL 125

53.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.34 ALL 192

-54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.66 ALL 136

-9.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.34 ALL 110

2.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.98 ALL 80.7

17.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.17 ALL 95.8

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.09 ALL 89.6

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.69 ALL 56.9

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$4.13 ALL 338

-44.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$6.22 ALL 510

71.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.46 ALL 120

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.67 ALL 137

47.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.45 ALL 36.87

91.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$11.61 ALL 952

256.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$3.60 ALL 295

-59.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$3.07 ALL 252

-36.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.92 ALL 1,470

-56.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$2.19 ALL 180

-56.62%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

-47.59%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

6.48%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$67.9 ALL 5,570

21.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$16.90 ALL 1,386

-43.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.11 ALL 1,321

50.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$40.50 ALL 3,321

-36.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.69 ALL 958

62.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.20 ALL 590

-45.42%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$89.0 ALL 7,296

247.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

232.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$47.65 ALL 3,907

23.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$11.91 ALL 977

171.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$72.0 ALL 5,901

42.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$142 ALL 11.6K

-23.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$310 ALL 25.4K

53.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$300 ALL 24.6K

26.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$353 ALL 28.9K

137.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$347 ALL 28.4K

108.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

53.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

-1.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$571 ALL 46.9K

-10.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

168.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $310 in Shkoder. 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 12% higher in Shkoder, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Shkoder. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $202 in Shkoder – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,383 in Shkoder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, 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 $32.00 in Shkoder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $922 in Shkoder. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $922, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.