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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $776 in Shymkent, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,352 in Shymkent, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,928 in Shymkent, rent included.

Medellin costs about 121% more than Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Shymkent is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$10.77 ₸4,907

-25.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$32.49 ₸14.8K

48.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$6.63 ₸3,021

47.36%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.39 ₸1,091

21.76%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.02 ₸467

90.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.53 ₸242

186.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.05 ₸480

194.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$1.33 ₸607

331.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.46 ₸666

-6.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.42 ₸193

469.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.72 ₸783

-1.16%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$1.63 ₸741

76.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$10.25 ₸4,670

-3.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$5.14 ₸2,343

109.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$8.80 ₸4,009

67.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.18 ₸538

246.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.09 ₸954

-24.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.50 ₸1,139

-14.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.35 ₸614

63.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$0.53 ₸244

286.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$0.40 ₸181

275.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$0.86 ₸392

38.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.83 ₸380

39.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.46 ₸1,121

58.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$4.36 ₸1,987

231.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.04 ₸476

51.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.54 ₸703

83.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$0.13 ₸60.1

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.83 ₸377

54.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.37 ₸166

464.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$9.78 ₸4,457

-11.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$0.59 ₸267

120.34%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$26.9K ₸12.2M

2.87%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$29.0K ₸13.2M

22.30%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$46.53 ₸21.2K

278.40%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$9.10 ₸4,145

46.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$14.64 ₸6,671

104.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$38.70 ₸17.6K

15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

$8.60 ₸3,920

98.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$5.40 ₸2,462

14.81%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$56.5 ₸25.7K

1305.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$35.70 ₸16.3K

139.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$33.12 ₸15.1K

76.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$182 ₸82.9K

-25.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$52.1 ₸23.7K

98.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$333 ₸151.8K

218.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$202 ₸91.9K

236.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$693 ₸315.7K

190.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$550 ₸250.7K

112.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,075 ₸489.6K

282.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$974 ₸443.6K

74.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$432 ₸196.9K

53.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

18.25

-40.05%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $333 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 54% 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 $32.00 in Shymkent. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $183 – 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 121%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,165 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Shymkent. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% 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 $776, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.