Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $679 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,091 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,503 in Shymkent, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Shymkent, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Shymkent are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Shymkent 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.57 ₸4,664

-37.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$19.66 ₸9,579

67.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.77 ₸3,298

4.73%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.87 ₸912

-8.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.01 ₸490

8.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.44 ₸213

77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.16 ₸563

44.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.91 ₸930

60.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.10 ₸534

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.30 ₸148

320.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.57 ₸767

-12.10%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.44 ₸702

52.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.95 ₸3,871

-44.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.24 ₸2,066

32.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.50 ₸3,166

36.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.00 ₸489

134.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.84 ₸894

-42.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.89 ₸920

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.02 ₸499

35.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.47 ₸231

144.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.38 ₸184

205.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.78 ₸378

14.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.64 ₸311

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.91 ₸930

19.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$3.97 ₸1,935

168.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.93 ₸454

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.38 ₸673

78.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.16 ₸77.7

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.84 ₸409

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.63 ₸308

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.91 ₸2,879

30.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.46 ₸222

106.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$19.8K ₸9.7M

-8.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.6K ₸12.0M

7.85%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$51.1 ₸24.9K

61.12%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.84 ₸4,306

7.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$12.49 ₸6,086

94.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$32.82 ₸16.0K

-21.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$7.69 ₸3,748

147.07%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.75 ₸2,315

-17.26%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$49.35 ₸24.0K

526.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,935 ₸2.4M

20.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$32.43 ₸15.8K

80.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.01 ₸14.6K

7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$123 ₸59.7K

-16.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$46.31 ₸22.6K

134.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$306 ₸149.1K

55.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$177 ₸86.4K

113.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$470 ₸229.2K

78.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$354 ₸172.4K

104.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,040 ₸506.5K

168.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$911 ₸443.6K

33.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$401 ₸195.1K

27.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

19.5

-31.13%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $306 in Shymkent. 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 28% 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 $20.00 in Shymkent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $148 – making Shymkent 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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,018 in Shymkent. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shymkent, 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 $20.00 in Shymkent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shymkent, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Shymkent it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shymkent – 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 Shymkent. 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.