Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shkoder and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $927 per month in Shkoder vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,350 per month in Shkoder vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,772 per month in Shkoder vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Shkoder is about 10% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shkoder and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 31% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 ALL 486

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-3.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.15 ALL 2,621

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ALL 395

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-34.06%

Cappuccino

$1.81 ALL 148

$1.72 COP 5,600

5.23%

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

$1.60 ALL 130

$1.05 COP 3,420

52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 ALL 66.5

$0.77 COP 2,515

6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 ALL 189

$1.69 COP 5,488

36.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ALL 274

$3.17 COP 10.3K

5.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 168

$1.05 COP 3,423

96.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 ALL 71.2

$1.30 COP 4,236

-33.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 ALL 159

$1.40 COP 4,544

39.29%

Eggs

$2.94 ALL 239

$2.16 COP 7,047

36.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 560

$4.39 COP 14.3K

56.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 ALL 407

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-15.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ALL 842

$8.64 COP 28.1K

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 124

$2.28 COP 7,426

-33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 193

$1.11 COP 3,604

113.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 ALL 142

$1.53 COP 4,983

13.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ALL 112

$1.35 COP 4,410

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 ALL 82.5

$1.13 COP 3,674

-10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ALL 98.7

$1.13 COP 3,692

7.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ALL 90.2

$0.85 COP 2,753

30.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 60.2

$0.91 COP 2,975

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ALL 334

$2.34 COP 7,630

74.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 ALL 491

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-51.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 ALL 118

$1.20 COP 3,909

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ALL 141

$2.49 COP 8,104

-30.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.85

$0.84 COP 2,728

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.40 ALL 930

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-71.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 ALL 282

$1.42 COP 4,623

143.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.12 ALL 255

$1.92 COP 6,235

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.64 ALL 1,439

$7.66 COP 24.9K

130.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 ALL 171

$0.99 COP 3,223

112.12%

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

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

95.00%

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

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-6.25%

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

$66.9 ALL 5,454

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-17.24%

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

$16.83 ALL 1,373

$9.95 COP 32.4K

69.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.08 ALL 1,311

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-33.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.52 ALL 3,386

$25.08 COP 81.7K

65.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.87 ALL 968

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-38.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.02 ALL 573

$3.98 COP 13.0K

76.38%

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

$87.5 ALL 7,137

$305 COP 993.5K

-71.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,756 ALL 143.2K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-71.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.51 ALL 3,793

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-19.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.56 ALL 943

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-64.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 ALL 5,672

$101 COP 327.9K

-30.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$108 COP 350.8K

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ALL 24.9K

$477 COP 1.6M

-35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$298 ALL 24.3K

$376 COP 1.2M

-20.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 ALL 29.1K

$845 COP 2.7M

-57.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 ALL 27.6K

$730 COP 2.4M

-53.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,825 ALL 148.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-43.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 ALL 99.7K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-10.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ALL 46.7K

$617 COP 2.0M

-7.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-62.77%

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

Last update for Shkoder: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $306 in Shkoder versus $477 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 8% higher in Medellin, 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 $32.00 in Shkoder versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $203 in Shkoder vs $193 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

Shkoder vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,391 per month in Shkoder and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shkoder, 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 $32.00 in Shkoder and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $927 in Shkoder and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shkoder, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Shkoder it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shkoder – 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 Shkoder. 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.