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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $984 per month in Shkoder vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,469 per month in Shkoder vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,954 per month in Shkoder vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Shkoder is about 41% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Shkoder sits 28% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.68 ALL 765

$8.02 COP 25.0K

20.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.84 ALL 3,069

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-18.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.43 ALL 508

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$2.06 ALL 163

$3.13 COP 9,767

-34.19%

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

$1.91 ALL 151

$1.91 COP 5,954

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ALL 52.8

$1.51 COP 4,712

-55.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.94 ALL 153

$3.12 COP 9,747

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.13 ALL 247

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-45.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ALL 160

$1.44 COP 4,509

40.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 ALL 80.3

$2.49 COP 7,759

-59.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 ALL 164

$1.77 COP 5,535

17.51%

Eggs

$2.77 ALL 219

$2.96 COP 9,235

-6.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 ALL 573

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-27.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 ALL 393

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-50.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.88 ALL 860

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-23.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 ALL 127

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-61.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.37 ALL 187

$1.61 COP 5,019

47.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ALL 135

$2.25 COP 7,007

-24.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ALL 123

$2.25 COP 7,028

-31.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ALL 82.8

$2.04 COP 6,375

-48.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 ALL 97.5

$1.54 COP 4,790

-20.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 ALL 92.2

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ALL 58.4

$1.31 COP 4,077

-43.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.42 ALL 349

$3.90 COP 12.2K

13.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.33 ALL 500

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-54.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 ALL 127

$1.74 COP 5,439

-7.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ALL 146

$2.87 COP 8,956

-35.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ALL 37.40

$1.22 COP 3,792

-61.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ALL 926

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-85.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 ALL 297

$1.31 COP 4,084

187.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.92 ALL 310

$2.19 COP 6,825

79.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.89 ALL 1,492

$8.71 COP 27.2K

116.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.12 ALL 168

$1.37 COP 4,260

54.74%

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

$35.1K ALL 2.8M

$27.8K COP 86.9M

26.21%

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

$25.6K ALL 2.0M

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-28.42%

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

$61.8 ALL 4,880

$177 COP 553.2K

-65.16%

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

$16.54 ALL 1,307

$13.88 COP 43.3K

19.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.42 ALL 1,376

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-41.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.51 ALL 3,517

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-0.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.64 ALL 999

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-26.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 ALL 593

$6.65 COP 20.7K

12.93%

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

$94.2 ALL 7,440

$813 COP 2.5M

-88.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,854 ALL 146.5K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-79.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ALL 3,930

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-44.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.51 ALL 988

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-78.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.9 ALL 5,993

$138 COP 431.2K

-45.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 ALL 11.8K

$102 COP 318.7K

45.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ALL 39.4K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-53.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 ALL 24.7K

$663 COP 2.1M

-52.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$376 ALL 29.7K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-80.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$370 ALL 29.3K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-63.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,907 ALL 150.6K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-54.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,263 ALL 99.8K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-24.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ALL 46.4K

$678 COP 2.1M

-13.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-54.30%

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

Last update for Shkoder: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Shkoder versus $1,062 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 15% 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 $39.00 in Shkoder versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $209 vs $305 – making Shkoder 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

Shkoder vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,476 per month in Shkoder and $2,521 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 $39.00 in Shkoder and $48.00 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 $984 in Shkoder and $1,681 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 $984, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.