Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ulsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulsan: $1,339 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Medellin outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Ulsan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Ulsan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $1,339 in Ulsan, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Ulsan $1,339

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $2,185 in Ulsan, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Ulsan $2,185

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $3,030 in Ulsan, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Ulsan $3,030

Medellin costs about 21% more than Ulsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Ulsan is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$7.62 ₩10.1K

4.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$44.63 ₩59.3K

3.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

$5.93 ₩7,882

60.20%

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$3.32 ₩4,410

-6.33%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$0.88 ₩1,175

107.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

$0.47 ₩619

193.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

$3.01 ₩4,006

1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$4.38 ₩5,826

25.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$2.36 ₩3,139

-38.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$3.25 ₩4,315

-27.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$3.16 ₩4,207

-46.84%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$2.73 ₩3,634

4.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$10.88 ₩14.5K

-6.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$10.63 ₩14.1K

-10.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

$24.54 ₩32.6K

-42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

$11.39 ₩15.1K

-64.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$3.74 ₩4,975

-59.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

$8.09 ₩10.8K

-73.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

$6.05 ₩8,048

-61.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

$6.01 ₩7,992

-67.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

$3.26 ₩4,328

-49.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

$2.89 ₩3,844

-60.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$1.28 ₩1,707

-2.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$3.12 ₩4,154

27.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$18.52 ₩24.6K

-27.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$2.45 ₩3,264

-30.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$3.44 ₩4,577

-31.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

$1.14 ₩1,511

6.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

$2.89 ₩3,849

-54.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

$0.78 ₩1,040

174.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

$16.96 ₩22.6K

-50.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$1.43 ₩1,899

-9.09%

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

$30.0K ₩39.9M

-6.75%

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

$34.1K ₩45.4M

3.75%

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$197 ₩261.8K

-12.60%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$37.06 ₩49.3K

-63.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$27.21 ₩36.2K

5.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

$60.4 ₩80.3K

-25.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

$10.30 ₩13.7K

-39.03%

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

$770 COP 2.4M

$263 ₩349.3K

193.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

$22.0K ₩29.3M

-59.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

$51.5 ₩68.5K

67.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

$45.56 ₩60.6K

25.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

$61.0 ₩81.2K

123.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

$75.0 ₩99.7K

30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

$373 ₩495.3K

183.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

$244 ₩324.7K

152.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

$761 ₩1.0M

148.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

$648 ₩861.8K

57.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

$4,483 ₩6.0M

-9.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

$2,479 ₩3.3M

-32.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$2,331 ₩3.1M

-72.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.22

159.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Ulsan

$244 18.2% 60.3% $372

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Ulsan

$489 36.5% 65.9% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Ulsan

$261 19.5% 21.9% $47

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Ulsan

$105 7.8% 38.3% $65

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Ulsan

$148 11% 12.2% $21

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9% 87.8% $82

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Ulsan

$81 6.1% 40.2% $23

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $373 in Ulsan. 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 257% higher in Ulsan, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Ulsan. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Medellin vs $489 in Ulsan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🕒 Local time

16:25 4:25 PM

06:25 6:25 AM

14 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

1,129,827

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Medellin Ulsan 14,690 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Ulsan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ulsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $2,009 in Ulsan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulsan, 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 $46.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Ulsan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 66% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ulsan, where all-in costs run around $1,339, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Ulsan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulsan – 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 Ulsan. 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.