Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ungheni Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ungheni

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $660 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,027 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $1,394 in Ungheni, rent included.

Medellin costs about 141% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Ungheni is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

$7.46 MDL 133

7.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

$22.41 MDL 398

107.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

$6.56 MDL 116

43.75%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

$1.42 MDL 25.29

104.93%

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

$0.72 MDL 12.77

143.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

$0.47 MDL 8.30

180.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

$0.99 MDL 17.52

216.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

$1.44 MDL 25.51

285.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

$1.72 MDL 30.61

-18.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

$0.33 MDL 5.80

639.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

$0.82 MDL 14.58

98.78%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

$1.87 MDL 33.25

50.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

$9.95 MDL 177

-2.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

$3.85 MDL 68.5

142.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

$8.22 MDL 146

63.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

$0.43 MDL 7.62

830.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

$1.21 MDL 21.54

22.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

$1.03 MDL 18.32

105.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

$1.14 MDL 20.29

97.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

$0.47 MDL 8.38

306.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

$0.33 MDL 5.79

390.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

$2.17 MDL 38.55

-47.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

$0.80 MDL 14.23

57.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

$3.27 MDL 58.1

16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

$4.13 MDL 73.4

217.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

$1.43 MDL 25.47

11.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

$1.64 MDL 29.19

37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

$0.33 MDL 5.86

254.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

$1.66 MDL 29.45

-23.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

$0.40 MDL 7.17

412.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

$3.60 MDL 64.0

127.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

$1.43 MDL 25.40

-11.19%

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

$20.1K MDL 356.4K

71.43%

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

$162 COP 519.6K

$139 MDL 2,468

16.73%

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$11.12 MDL 198

17.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$15.74 MDL 280

78.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

$14.04 MDL 249

215.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

$3.92 MDL 69.6

55.36%

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

$764 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

$48.19 MDL 856

76.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

$16.61 MDL 295

246.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

$34.04 MDL 605

287.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

$68.1 MDL 1,210

40.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$252 MDL 4,480

307.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

$112 MDL 1,988

440.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$333 MDL 5,906

441.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$281 MDL 4,998

252.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

$2,267 MDL 40.3K

72.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

$1,649 MDL 29.3K

-0.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$569 MDL 10.1K

9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $252 in Ungheni. 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 10% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $163 – making Ungheni 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 Ungheni: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 141%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $991 in Ungheni. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ungheni, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 77% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $22.00 in Ungheni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $660, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Ungheni it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ungheni – 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 Ungheni. 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.