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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $628 in Taraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,007 in Taraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Taraz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 161% more than Taraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Taraz is 54% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.60 ₸3,875

-6.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$22.04 ₸9,933

119.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.47 ₸2,915

45.60%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.57 ₸709

87.26%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.91 ₸408

104.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.46 ₸206

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.08 ₸485

197.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.78 ₸803

220.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.09 ₸490

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.41 ₸183

485.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.34 ₸604

26.87%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.73 ₸778

67.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$10.19 ₸4,592

-1.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$5.16 ₸2,323

93.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$8.45 ₸3,810

68.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.20 ₸541

231.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.18 ₸983

-27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.57 ₸1,160

-16.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.41 ₸634

63.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.51 ₸232

292.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.40 ₸180

277.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.96 ₸434

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.78 ₸352

64.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.49 ₸1,120

54.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.39 ₸1,978

219.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.04 ₸467

64.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.57 ₸710

74.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.20 ₸89.9

525.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$0.89 ₸401

47.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.38 ₸170

471.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.84 ₸1,731

115.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$0.64 ₸288

112.50%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$27.7K ₸12.5M

-0.67%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$27.4K ₸12.3M

33.38%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$46.57 ₸21.0K

262.29%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$8.57 ₸3,861

58.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$8.84 ₸3,985

220.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$36.31 ₸16.4K

25.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.35 ₸1,960

52.87%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$57.6 ₸25.9K

1295.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$26.34 ₸11.9K

231.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$33.85 ₸15.3K

75.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$111 ₸50.0K

25.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$52.9 ₸23.9K

92.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$268 ₸120.8K

299.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$112 ₸50.3K

484.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$437 ₸196.9K

340.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$200 ₸90.2K

423.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$836 ₸376.7K

393.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$598 ₸269.5K

183.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$276 ₸124.3K

137.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

17.83

-38.64%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Taraz: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $268 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 137% 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 $22.00 in Taraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $178 – 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 161%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $942 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Taraz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 69% 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 $628, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.