Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vlore Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vlore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,231 in Vlore, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,837 in Vlore, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,444 in Vlore, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Vlore, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Vlore is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$10.03 ALL 792

-20.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$39.69 ALL 3,135

20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$7.64 ALL 604

29.45%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.99 ALL 157

57.29%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.93 ALL 152

-1.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.70 ALL 55.1

115.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$2.46 ALL 194

26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.47 ALL 274

65.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.01 ALL 158

-28.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.01 ALL 79.5

146.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.12 ALL 168

-16.51%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.70 ALL 213

9.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.38 ALL 820

-2.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$8.71 ALL 688

16.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.63 ALL 1,156

-2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.99 ALL 157

108.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$2.37 ALL 187

-32.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.67 ALL 132

34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.62 ALL 128

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.06 ALL 83.8

92.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.32 ALL 104

16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 ALL 96.7

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.78 ALL 61.6

67.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.37 ALL 345

-10.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.92 ALL 784

41.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.76 ALL 139

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.91 ALL 151

50.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.51 ALL 40.53

139.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$25.36 ALL 2,004

217.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$3.83 ALL 303

-65.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$3.98 ALL 314

-44.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$18.77 ALL 1,483

-53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$2.20 ALL 174

-37.73%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$34.8K ALL 2.7M

-19.98%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$25.5K ALL 2.0M

40.24%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$63.2 ALL 4,990

180.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$16.82 ALL 1,328

-17.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$17.91 ALL 1,415

65.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$57.4 ALL 4,533

-21.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$29.96 ALL 2,367

-42.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.64 ALL 682

-23.03%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$102 ALL 8,034

699.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$49.88 ALL 3,941

79.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$56.6 ALL 4,470

4.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$101 ALL 7,993

36.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$152 ALL 12.0K

-32.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$555 ALL 43.8K

91.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$429 ALL 33.9K

54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$718 ALL 56.7K

162.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$591 ALL 46.7K

73.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,141 ALL 169.2K

95.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$1,452 ALL 114.7K

15.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$877 ALL 69.3K

-22.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vlore: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $555 in Vlore. 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 29% higher in Vlore, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Vlore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $259 – making Vlore 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 Vlore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,846 in Vlore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vlore, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Vlore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $1,231 in Vlore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Vlore, where all-in costs run around $1,231, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Vlore it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vlore – 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 Vlore. 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.