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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $687 in Ungheni, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,069 in Ungheni, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,450 in Ungheni, rent included.

Medellin costs about 145% more than Ungheni, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ungheni is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$7.44 MDL 126

6.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$23.66 MDL 402

88.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.97 MDL 118

33.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.44 MDL 24.45

101.39%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.73 MDL 12.44

147.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.45 MDL 7.71

244.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.02 MDL 17.37

218.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.43 MDL 24.27

311.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.72 MDL 29.17

-19.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.34 MDL 5.72

620.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.85 MDL 14.37

77.65%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.04 MDL 34.70

36.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.34 MDL 176

-12.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.15 MDL 70.5

156.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.63 MDL 147

69.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$0.45 MDL 7.70

782.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.26 MDL 21.36

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.08 MDL 18.31

112.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.19 MDL 20.27

69.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.45 MDL 7.73

364.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.36 MDL 6.18

352.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$2.39 MDL 40.57

-54.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.79 MDL 13.49

58.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.45 MDL 58.6

16.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$4.33 MDL 73.6

211.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.44 MDL 24.51

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.71 MDL 29.07

75.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.34 MDL 5.70

247.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.79 MDL 30.36

-10.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.39 MDL 6.68

446.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$3.86 MDL 65.5

120.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.49 MDL 25.23

-9.40%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$21.0K MDL 356.5K

70.02%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$140 MDL 2,371

8.41%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$11.54 MDL 196

13.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$16.51 MDL 280

95.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$14.36 MDL 244

222.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$4.17 MDL 70.7

54.20%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$50.3 MDL 855

77.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$17.33 MDL 294

219.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$35.62 MDL 605

283.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$71.0 MDL 1,205

54.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$260 MDL 4,412

266.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$114 MDL 1,942

484.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$353 MDL 6,001

471.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$291 MDL 4,947

294.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$2,335 MDL 39.6K

58.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,772 MDL 30.1K

-10.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

30.37%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Ungheni: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $260 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Ungheni. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $170 – 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 145%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,031 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 74% 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $24.00 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 $687, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.