Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Pohang and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,333 per month in Pohang vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,007 per month in Pohang vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,680 per month in Pohang vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Pohang costs about 32% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Pohang sits 0% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 ₩8,018

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-12.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.25 ₩28.0K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-44.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 ₩9,412

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-13.40%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ₩4,565

$1.71 COP 6,105

74.27%

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

$1.44 ₩2,208

$1.10 COP 3,918

30.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₩787

$0.78 COP 2,776

-34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.75 ₩5,741

$1.68 COP 5,987

123.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ₩5,546

$3.07 COP 10.9K

17.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ₩2,747

$1.09 COP 3,899

64.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 ₩4,854

$1.26 COP 4,500

151.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.53 ₩3,883

$1.38 COP 4,914

83.33%

Eggs

$2.97 ₩4,547

$2.19 COP 7,813

35.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.60 ₩16.2K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

140.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 ₩9,860

$5.63 COP 20.1K

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

205.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ₩3,331

$2.34 COP 8,334

-7.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 ₩4,771

$1.06 COP 3,771

193.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.47 ₩11.4K

$1.50 COP 5,365

398.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 ₩4,030

$1.38 COP 4,915

90.58%

Potato (1kg)

$4.89 ₩7,485

$1.15 COP 4,104

325.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 ₩4,494

$1.16 COP 4,148

152.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 ₩3,093

$0.89 COP 3,176

126.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₩1,785

$0.84 COP 2,992

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 ₩5,102

$2.28 COP 8,131

46.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 ₩12.9K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 ₩2,280

$1.20 COP 4,276

24.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 ₩5,163

$2.47 COP 8,809

36.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,691

$0.86 COP 3,051

27.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 ₩3,782

$1.47 COP 5,255

68.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.86 ₩1,313

$1.96 COP 6,997

-56.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 ₩25.1K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

111.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ₩1,864

$0.95 COP 3,403

28.42%

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

$28.0K ₩42.8M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

54.20%

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

$24.9K ₩38.2M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-5.96%

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

$106 ₩162.2K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

28.72%

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

$50.1 ₩76.8K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

427.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.14 ₩41.6K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

12.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 ₩45.2K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

14.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.18 ₩11.0K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-62.21%

Cinema Ticket

$10.98 ₩16.8K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

179.39%

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

$491 ₩752.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

58.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K ₩22.1M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

141.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$104 ₩159.3K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

77.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.82 ₩73.3K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

47.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 ₩133.5K

$103 COP 365.7K

-15.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ₩168.5K

$108 COP 386.5K

1.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 ₩682.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-6.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 ₩654.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

12.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,068 ₩1.6M

$838 COP 3.0M

27.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 ₩1.2M

$724 COP 2.6M

7.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,602 ₩4.0M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

114.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,229 ₩3.4M

$512 COP 1.8M

335.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

13.43

-68.58%

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

Last update for Pohang: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $446 in Pohang versus $476 in Medellin. 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 336% higher in Pohang, 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 $18.00 in Pohang versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $363 in Pohang vs $188 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Pohang vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Pohang is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,000 per month in Pohang and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $18.00 in Pohang and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 93% more in Pohang, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Pohang at $1,333. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Pohang it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pohang makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.