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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,140 in Vlore, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Vlore, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,248 in Vlore, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Vlore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Vlore are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Vlore 15% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92 COP 21.4K
$9.61 ALL 785
-38.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75 COP 118.2K
$37.39 ALL 3,053
-12.41%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.20 COP 26.0K
$7.27 ALL 593
-0.96%
Cappuccino
$1.70 COP 6,140
$1.86 ALL 152
-8.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10 COP 3,966
$1.57 ALL 128
-29.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72 COP 2,605
$0.87 ALL 71.0
-17.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.67 COP 6,022
$2.32 ALL 189
-28.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 COP 11.2K
$3.19 ALL 261
-2.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.06 COP 3,809
$2.05 ALL 167
-48.29%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 COP 4,497
$0.86 ALL 70.2
45.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 COP 5,022
$2.03 ALL 166
-31.53%
Eggs
$2.26 COP 8,168
$3.01 ALL 245
-24.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.33 COP 15.6K
$10.08 ALL 823
-57.04%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.84 COP 21.1K
$7.65 ALL 625
-23.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.83 COP 31.9K
$13.14 ALL 1,073
-32.80%
Apples (1kg)
$2.24 COP 8,099
$1.85 ALL 151
21.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.08 COP 3,882
$2.43 ALL 199
-55.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.53 COP 5,522
$1.71 ALL 140
-10.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.37 COP 4,950
$1.39 ALL 113
-1.44%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 COP 4,078
$1.05 ALL 85.6
7.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.12 COP 4,036
$1.23 ALL 100
-8.94%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 COP 3,057
$1.10 ALL 89.6
-22.73%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 COP 3,281
$0.72 ALL 59.0
26.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33 COP 8,414
$4.02 ALL 328
-42.04%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.13 COP 40.2K
$10.03 ALL 819
10.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 COP 4,309
$1.70 ALL 139
-30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 8,553
$1.74 ALL 142
36.21%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.79 COP 2,838
$0.49 ALL 39.75
61.22%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.13 COP 148.5K
$23.89 ALL 1,951
72.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.44 COP 5,184
$3.56 ALL 291
-59.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.91 COP 6,901
$4.65 ALL 379
-58.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.02 COP 28.9K
$17.65 ALL 1,441
-54.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.94 COP 3,385
$2.12 ALL 173
-55.66%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9K COP 64.7M
$34.8K ALL 2.8M
-48.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K COP 96.7M
$25.2K ALL 2.1M
6.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$84.0 COP 303.1K
$68.3 ALL 5,575
22.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60 COP 34.7K
$17.11 ALL 1,397
-43.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16 COP 87.2K
$16.12 ALL 1,316
49.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.88 COP 93.4K
$55.9 ALL 4,564
-53.70%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04 COP 68.7K
$27.73 ALL 2,264
-31.34%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92 COP 14.1K
$8.02 ALL 655
-51.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$306 COP 1.1M
$93.5 ALL 7,636
227.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,919 COP 21.4M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9 COP 209.1K
$47.33 ALL 3,864
22.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82 COP 114.9K
$53.7 ALL 4,381
-40.69%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.9 COP 360.6K
$93.1 ALL 7,604
7.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107 COP 386.8K
$139 ALL 11.3K
-22.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$487 COP 1.8M
$480 ALL 39.2K
1.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$368 COP 1.3M
$365 ALL 29.8K
0.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$826 COP 3.0M
$617 ALL 50.3K
33.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$716 COP 2.6M
$442 ALL 36.1K
62.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,925 COP 10.6M
$2,111 ALL 172.4K
38.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,407 COP 5.1M
$1,400 ALL 114.3K
0.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Vlore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$546 COP 2.0M
$854 ALL 69.8K
-36.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
4
235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Vlore: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $480 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 57% higher in Vlore, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Vlore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $245 – making Medellin 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
Is Vlore cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Vlore is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,710 in Vlore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Vlore?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Vlore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin vs Vlore?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,034 in Medellin and $1,140 in Vlore. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Vlore?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Vlore at $1,140. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Vlore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Vlore more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vlore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities