Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulaanbaatar and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,127 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,770 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,413 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 9% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 16% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.38 MNT 19.3K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-12.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.93 MNT 103.7K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-11.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 MNT 18.9K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-28.07%

Cappuccino

$2.55 MNT 9,154

$1.72 COP 5,592

48.26%

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

$0.76 MNT 2,714

$1.05 COP 3,416

-27.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 MNT 1,830

$0.77 COP 2,511

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 MNT 7,526

$1.69 COP 5,480

24.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 MNT 8,379

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-26.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MNT 5,132

$1.05 COP 3,418

36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,522

$1.30 COP 4,230

-24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.11 MNT 7,567

$1.40 COP 4,538

50.71%

Eggs

$2.09 MNT 7,499

$2.16 COP 7,037

-3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.62 MNT 56.0K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

255.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.77 MNT 20.7K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.48 MNT 23.2K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.17 MNT 11.4K

$2.28 COP 7,415

39.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,554

$1.11 COP 3,599

140.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 MNT 15.4K

$1.53 COP 4,976

179.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 MNT 9,581

$1.35 COP 4,405

97.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 MNT 2,589

$1.13 COP 3,669

-36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 MNT 3,625

$1.13 COP 3,687

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 MNT 4,638

$0.85 COP 2,749

51.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 MNT 2,534

$0.91 COP 2,971

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,342

$2.34 COP 7,619

-24.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 MNT 37.2K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MNT 4,795

$1.20 COP 3,904

11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 MNT 6,092

$2.49 COP 8,094

-31.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 991

$0.84 COP 2,724

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.81 MNT 31.6K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-78.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 MNT 2,011

$1.42 COP 4,617

-60.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MNT 2,024

$1.92 COP 6,227

-70.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 MNT 16.6K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-39.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 MNT 3,860

$0.99 COP 3,219

9.09%

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

$30.5K MNT 109.2M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

68.99%

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

$18.4K MNT 65.9M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-30.94%

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

$82.7 MNT 296.4K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

2.35%

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

$7.41 MNT 26.5K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-25.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.71 MNT 59.9K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-30.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.3 MNT 223.3K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

148.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.72 MNT 49.2K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-28.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-5.53%

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

$175 MNT 628.2K

$305 COP 992.2K

-42.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,474 MNT 23.2M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

6.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.9 MNT 307.7K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

47.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.8 MNT 250.3K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

116.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.0K

$101 COP 327.5K

3.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 MNT 573.3K

$108 COP 350.3K

48.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 MNT 1.8M

$477 COP 1.5M

7.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.5M

$376 COP 1.2M

7.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 MNT 5.4M

$845 COP 2.7M

77.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 MNT 2.7M

$730 COP 2.4M

3.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,934 MNT 6.9M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-39.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$957 MNT 3.4M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-30.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$596 MNT 2.1M

$617 COP 2.0M

-3.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-55.32%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Ulaanbaatar 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 3% higher in Medellin, 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 $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Ulaanbaatar 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

Ulaanbaatar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulaanbaatar is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,690 per month in Ulaanbaatar 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 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 $29.00 in Ulaanbaatar 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 $1,127 in Ulaanbaatar and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,127. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ulaanbaatar 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.

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