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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,804 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,446 in Ulaanbaatar, rent included.

Medellin is about 13% cheaper than Ulaanbaatar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ulaanbaatar are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ulaanbaatar 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

6.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

9.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

27.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.64 MNT 9,447

-35.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.75 MNT 2,693

46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.48 MNT 1,705

62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.11 MNT 7,547

-20.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.31 MNT 8,244

32.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.49 MNT 5,318

-26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.98 MNT 3,489

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$2.14 MNT 7,648

-35.51%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.17 MNT 7,771

0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

-72.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

1.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

41.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

-24.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.65 MNT 9,462

-60.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

-66.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.68 MNT 9,567

-48.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.75 MNT 2,698

53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.02 MNT 3,662

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.27 MNT 4,534

-29.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.73 MNT 2,624

15.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.79 MNT 6,384

27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

10.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.39 MNT 4,970

-13.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.71 MNT 6,132

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.28 MNT 987

207.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

380.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.62 MNT 2,210

137.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.61 MNT 2,189

221.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

62.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.03 MNT 3,694

-7.77%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

-39.99%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

42.69%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

1.07%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

22.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

42.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$60.5 MNT 216.2K

-57.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

41.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

4.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$177 MNT 632.8K

74.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

-8.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

-30.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

-53.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$105 MNT 375.3K

-2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$161 MNT 577.2K

-32.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$512 MNT 1.8M

-7.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$405 MNT 1.4M

-6.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

-43.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$740 MNT 2.6M

-2.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

41.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$953 MNT 3.4M

27.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$601 MNT 2.1M

-14.86%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $512 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 17% higher in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar. Groceries tell a different story – $188 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 15%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,742 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 $30.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $1,161 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 $1,013, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. 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.