Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taraz Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Taraz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $558 in Taraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $895 in Taraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Taraz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 82% more than Taraz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Taraz are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Taraz 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.82 ₸2,841

2.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$19.58 ₸9,563

70.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.90 ₸2,880

22.54%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.35 ₸661

20.74%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.81 ₸394

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.40 ₸196

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.14 ₸558

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.54 ₸753

109.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.95 ₸463

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.37 ₸182

248.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.19 ₸583

10.92%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.66 ₸809

36.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.73 ₸4,265

-50.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.53 ₸2,213

29.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.25 ₸3,541

18.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.31 ₸640

71.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.90 ₸930

-43.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.00 ₸978

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.98 ₸965

-28.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.59 ₸289

98.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.40 ₸197

192.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.01 ₸495

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.71 ₸344

26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.98 ₸967

13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.22 ₸2,062

161.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.94 ₸458

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.59 ₸775

49.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.19 ₸91.2

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.80 ₸392

76.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.39 ₸189

387.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.54 ₸1,729

118.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.42 ₸207

140.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.9K ₸9.7M

-11.87%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.3K ₸10.4M

24.51%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$50.1 ₸24.4K

67.16%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.00 ₸3,906

18.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$7.91 ₸3,866

204.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$32.53 ₸15.9K

-22.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.88 ₸1,894

5.67%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$215 ₸105.1K

45.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,852 ₸2.4M

23.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$23.35 ₸11.4K

148.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.70 ₸19.4K

-17.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$96.2 ₸47.0K

3.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$58.4 ₸28.5K

85.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$236 ₸115.3K

104.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$97.3 ₸47.5K

289.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$386 ₸188.4K

117.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$174 ₸84.8K

316.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$794 ₸387.9K

257.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$549 ₸268.0K

122.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$252 ₸123.2K

114.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.25

-17.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Taraz: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $236 in Taraz. 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 114% 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 Taraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $162 – making Taraz 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 82%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $838 in Taraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taraz, where all-in costs run around $558, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Taraz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taraz – 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 Taraz. 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.