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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $984 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,469 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,954 in Shkoder, rent included.

Medellin costs about 71% more than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Shkoder is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.68 ALL 765

-17.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$38.84 ALL 3,069

23.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.43 ALL 508

53.81%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$2.06 ALL 163

51.94%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.91 ALL 151

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.67 ALL 52.8

125.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.94 ALL 153

60.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.13 ALL 247

83.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.02 ALL 160

-28.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.02 ALL 80.3

144.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.08 ALL 164

-14.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.77 ALL 219

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.26 ALL 573

38.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$4.98 ALL 393

103.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.88 ALL 860

31.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.60 ALL 127

158.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.37 ALL 187

-32.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.71 ALL 135

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.55 ALL 123

45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.05 ALL 82.8

94.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.23 ALL 97.5

25.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.17 ALL 92.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.74 ALL 58.4

77.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.42 ALL 349

-11.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.33 ALL 500

121.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.61 ALL 127

8.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.84 ALL 146

55.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.47 ALL 37.40

159.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$11.72 ALL 926

586.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.76 ALL 297

-65.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.92 ALL 310

-44.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$18.89 ALL 1,492

-53.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.12 ALL 168

-35.38%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

-20.77%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.6K ALL 2.0M

39.70%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$61.8 ALL 4,880

187.03%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$16.54 ALL 1,307

-16.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.42 ALL 1,376

70.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$44.51 ALL 3,517

0.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$12.64 ALL 999

35.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.51 ALL 593

-11.45%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$94.2 ALL 7,440

763.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$1,854 ALL 146.5K

395.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.75 ALL 3,930

79.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$12.51 ALL 988

371.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$75.9 ALL 5,993

82.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$149 ALL 11.8K

-31.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$498 ALL 39.4K

113.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$313 ALL 24.7K

111.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$376 ALL 29.7K

401.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$370 ALL 29.3K

177.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$1,907 ALL 150.6K

119.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,263 ALL 99.8K

32.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$587 ALL 46.4K

15.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $498 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 15% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $39.00 in Shkoder. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $209 – making Shkoder 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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,476 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $39.00 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $984 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 $984, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.