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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $943 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,712 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,481 in Ungheni, rent included.

Medellin costs about 10% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Ungheni are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ungheni 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.42 MDL 128

-20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$31.12 MDL 537

5.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.75 MDL 99.1

25.22%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.45 MDL 24.93

17.24%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.72 MDL 12.39

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.42 MDL 7.26

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.36 MDL 23.52

22.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.50 MDL 25.85

106.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.28 MDL 22.14

-17.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.49 MDL 8.49

155.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.00 MDL 17.26

39.00%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.19 MDL 37.78

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.45 MDL 128

-41.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.87 MDL 66.7

50.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$6.92 MDL 119

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$0.50 MDL 8.69

348.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.43 MDL 24.66

-24.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.73 MDL 29.79

-11.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.35 MDL 23.27

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.54 MDL 9.38

109.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.36 MDL 6.22

211.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.30 MDL 22.48

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.52 MDL 8.94

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.00 MDL 51.8

-22.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.28 MDL 73.8

160.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.20 MDL 20.73

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.29 MDL 22.20

83.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.33 MDL 5.74

139.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.72 MDL 29.67

-16.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.25 MDL 4.26

664.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$4.43 MDL 76.5

81.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.28 MDL 22.11

-26.56%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$32.0K MDL 552.7K

-44.06%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$30.7K MDL 529.6K

-12.73%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$166 MDL 2,855

-49.27%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$7.56 MDL 130

26.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$10.93 MDL 189

121.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$20.22 MDL 349

27.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$4.17 MDL 72.0

-6.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$396 MDL 6,829

-22.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,727 MDL 133.3K

-23.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$43.32 MDL 747

33.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$22.33 MDL 385

42.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$39.91 MDL 688

150.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$106 MDL 1,833

0.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$960 MDL 16.6K

-49.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$371 MDL 6,405

-0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,508 MDL 26.0K

-45.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,266 MDL 21.8K

-43.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,371 MDL 40.9K

23.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,710 MDL 29.5K

-17.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $960 in Ungheni. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $149 – 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 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,415 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Ungheni. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ungheni, where all-in costs run around $943, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.