Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulaanbaatar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulaanbaatar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,770 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,413 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ulaanbaatar 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

14.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

12.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

39.02%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.55 MNT 9,154

-32.55%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.76 MNT 2,714

38.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.51 MNT 1,830

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.10 MNT 7,526

-19.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.34 MNT 8,379

35.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.43 MNT 5,132

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.98 MNT 3,522

32.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.11 MNT 7,567

-33.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.09 MNT 7,499

3.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

-71.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

1.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

33.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

-28.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$2.67 MNT 9,554

-58.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

-64.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.67 MNT 9,581

-49.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.72 MNT 2,589

56.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.01 MNT 3,625

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.29 MNT 4,638

-34.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.71 MNT 2,534

28.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.77 MNT 6,342

32.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.34 MNT 4,795

-10.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.70 MNT 6,092

46.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.28 MNT 991

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

360.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.56 MNT 2,011

153.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.56 MNT 2,024

242.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

65.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.08 MNT 3,860

-8.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

-40.82%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

44.80%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

-2.30%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

34.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

44.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

-59.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

39.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

5.85%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$175 MNT 628.2K

74.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

-6.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

-32.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

-53.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$105 MNT 375.0K

-3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$160 MNT 573.3K

-32.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$511 MNT 1.8M

-6.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$405 MNT 1.5M

-7.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

-43.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$757 MNT 2.7M

-3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

66.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$957 MNT 3.4M

43.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$596 MNT 2.1M

3.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $511 in Ulaanbaatar. 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 3% higher in Medellin, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $247 in Ulaanbaatar – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ulaanbaatar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulaanbaatar is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,690 in Ulaanbaatar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ulaanbaatar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.