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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $922 per month in Shkoder vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,353 per month in Shkoder vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,784 per month in Shkoder vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Shkoder is about 9% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Shkoder and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Shkoder 31% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.04 ALL 496

$5.99 COP 21.4K

0.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.04 ALL 2,627

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-2.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.61 ALL 378

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-34.98%

Cappuccino

$1.79 ALL 147

$1.71 COP 6,105

4.68%

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

$1.57 ALL 129

$1.10 COP 3,918

42.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 ALL 65.7

$0.78 COP 2,776

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ALL 199

$1.68 COP 5,987

44.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ALL 260

$3.07 COP 10.9K

3.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.06 ALL 169

$1.09 COP 3,899

88.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 ALL 75.9

$1.26 COP 4,500

-26.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 ALL 165

$1.38 COP 4,914

45.65%

Eggs

$2.91 ALL 239

$2.19 COP 7,813

32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.87 ALL 563

$4.40 COP 15.7K

56.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 ALL 401

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-13.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.35 ALL 849

$8.89 COP 31.7K

16.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ALL 125

$2.34 COP 8,334

-35.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 ALL 192

$1.06 COP 3,771

120.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ALL 136

$1.50 COP 5,365

10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ALL 110

$1.38 COP 4,915

-2.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 ALL 80.7

$1.15 COP 4,104

-14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ALL 95.8

$1.16 COP 4,148

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ALL 89.6

$0.89 COP 3,176

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ALL 56.9

$0.84 COP 2,992

-17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ALL 338

$2.28 COP 8,131

81.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 ALL 510

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-41.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 ALL 120

$1.20 COP 4,276

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ALL 137

$2.47 COP 8,809

-32.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.45 ALL 36.87

$0.86 COP 3,051

-47.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.61 ALL 952

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-71.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 ALL 295

$1.47 COP 5,255

144.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 ALL 252

$1.96 COP 6,997

56.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 ALL 1,470

$7.74 COP 27.6K

131.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 ALL 180

$0.95 COP 3,403

130.53%

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

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

90.82%

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

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-6.09%

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

$67.9 ALL 5,570

$82.3 COP 293.2K

-17.41%

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

$16.90 ALL 1,386

$9.50 COP 33.9K

77.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.11 ALL 1,321

$24.23 COP 86.4K

-33.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.50 ALL 3,321

$25.89 COP 92.3K

56.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.69 ALL 958

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-38.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ALL 590

$3.93 COP 14.0K

83.21%

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

$89.0 ALL 7,296

$309 COP 1.1M

-71.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-69.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.65 ALL 3,907

$58.7 COP 209.1K

-18.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.91 ALL 977

$32.35 COP 115.3K

-63.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ALL 5,901

$103 COP 365.7K

-29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 ALL 11.6K

$108 COP 386.5K

30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 ALL 25.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ALL 24.6K

$379 COP 1.4M

-20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ALL 28.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-57.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ALL 28.4K

$724 COP 2.6M

-52.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-34.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

1.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 ALL 46.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

11.65%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Shkoder 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 12% higher in Shkoder, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Shkoder versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $202 in Shkoder 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

Shkoder vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,383 per month in Shkoder 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 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 $922 in Shkoder and $1,013 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 $922, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.