Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Korea and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in North Korea: $836 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

41

Cost of Living Index in North Korea
Learn more

North Korea Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

🇰🇵 North Korea

$836

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

🙂 Solo nomad: North Korea is 12.6% cheaper than Medellin without rent, and 47.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: North Korea is 19.6% cheaper than Medellin without rent, and 43.1% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 $2.75

$8.01 COP 25.5K

-65.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.54 $22.54

$46.55 COP 148.3K

-51.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$19.33 $19.33

$9.43 COP 30.1K

104.98%

Cappuccino

$1.09 $1.09

$2.91 COP 9,277

-62.54%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$1.75 COP 5,585

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.32 COP 4,218

-3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.50 $13.50

$3.13 COP 9,969

331.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$5.55 COP 17.7K

-37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.41 COP 4,495

-36.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.44 COP 7,777

3.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.63 COP 5,191

-4.29%

Eggs

$2.89 $2.89

$2.82 COP 8,990

2.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$9.69 COP 30.9K

-49.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$9.32 COP 29.7K

-58.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$13.46 COP 42.9K

-59.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$4.00 COP 12.8K

53.00%

Banana (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$1.48 COP 4,719

246.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.12 COP 6,768

7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.25 COP 7,178

-3.11%

Potato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.91 COP 6,092

137.17%

Onion (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$1.62 COP 5,160

179.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.15 COP 3,658

96.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 $0.46

$1.26 COP 4,021

-63.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.82 COP 12.2K

18.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 $7.94

$13.11 COP 41.8K

-39.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.60 COP 5,083

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.26 COP 7,188

-3.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.17 COP 3,731

-14.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.72 $38.72

$75.0 COP 239.0K

-48.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.27 COP 4,056

19.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.05 COP 6,531

9.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.80 $39.80

$8.20 COP 26.1K

385.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$1.27 COP 4,046

-44.09%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$26.8K COP 85.3M

-17.07%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$34.4K COP 109.6M

-18.93%

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

$33.64 $33.64

$162 COP 516.9K

-79.26%

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

$11.23 $11.23

$13.12 COP 41.8K

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.44 $45.44

$28.09 COP 89.5K

61.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.4 $59.4

$44.33 COP 141.2K

34.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 $14.41

$16.33 COP 52.0K

-11.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 $7.78

$6.09 COP 19.4K

27.75%

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

$106 $106

$764 COP 2.4M

-86.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,149 $2,149

$8,904 COP 28.4M

-75.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.12 $22.12

$85.0 COP 270.8K

-73.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.19 $28.19

$57.5 COP 183.2K

-50.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.9 $62.9

$132 COP 419.8K

-52.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.7 $84.7

$95.8 COP 305.1K

-11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$97.2 $97.2

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-90.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$104 $104

$604 COP 1.9M

-82.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,399 $1,399

$1,802 COP 5.7M

-22.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 $208

$993 COP 3.2M

-79.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,684 $1,684

$3,921 COP 12.5M

-57.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,392 $1,392

$1,639 COP 5.2M

-15.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$232 $232

$626 COP 2.0M

-62.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.11

10.94

-35.01%

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

Last update for North Korea: October 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

North Korea

$247 29.4%

Medellin

$288 18.3% 16.7% $41

Eating Out

North Korea

$182 21.6%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 8.4% $15

Accommodation & Living

North Korea

$104 12.3%

Medellin

$604 38.3% 483% $501

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Korea

$90 10.7%

Medellin

$203 12.9% 125% $113

Clothing & Footwear

North Korea

$89 10.6%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 86.9% $77

Sport & Entertainment

North Korea

$75 8.9%

Medellin

$57 3.6% 24.7% $18

Getting Around

North Korea

$56 6.6%

Medellin

$91 5.8% 64.4% $36

Good to know

🇰🇵 North Korea

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

11:36 11:36 AM

21:36 9:36 PM

14 h behind North Korea

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

26,418,204

2,486,723

💱 Currency

USD USD

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

USD exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

COP to USD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

North Korea Medellin 14,520 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

North Korea
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

North Korea vs other spots: cost of living compared

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Korea and Medellin

COP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

North Korea

Medellin

North Korea

Medellin

North Korea vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries

🇺🇦 Ukraine

🇮🇶 Iraq

🇪🇨 Ecuador

🇵🇪 Peru

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe

🇽🇰 Kosovo

🇰🇭 Cambodia

🇷🇼 Rwanda