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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,160 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,925 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,691 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar is about 29% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ulaanbaatar sits 16% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 MNT 19.9K

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-31.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 MNT 117.1K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-32.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.40 MNT 19.4K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-42.68%

Cappuccino

$2.38 MNT 8,567

$2.94 COP 9,040

-19.05%

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

$0.83 MNT 2,974

$1.86 COP 5,735

-55.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 MNT 2,032

$1.46 COP 4,479

-60.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.31 MNT 8,312

$3.21 COP 9,882

-28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 MNT 11.7K

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-43.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MNT 5,219

$1.44 COP 4,428

0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 MNT 3,502

$2.40 COP 7,389

-59.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MNT 7,402

$1.70 COP 5,228

21.18%

Eggs

$2.15 MNT 7,747

$2.89 COP 8,896

-25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 MNT 44.6K

$10.06 COP 30.9K

23.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.85 MNT 17.4K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-51.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 MNT 25.7K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-49.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 MNT 11.5K

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-19.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 MNT 8,547

$1.58 COP 4,878

50.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 MNT 13.1K

$2.15 COP 6,624

69.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.12 MNT 11.2K

$2.30 COP 7,078

35.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MNT 2,499

$2.00 COP 6,169

-65.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 MNT 3,756

$1.51 COP 4,646

-31.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 MNT 6,280

$1.20 COP 3,701

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 MNT 2,847

$1.28 COP 3,946

-38.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 MNT 6,353

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-53.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 MNT 38.1K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 MNT 5,388

$1.71 COP 5,256

-12.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 MNT 6,200

$2.74 COP 8,440

-37.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 MNT 1,045

$1.25 COP 3,834

-76.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.54 MNT 59.5K

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-78.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 MNT 1,846

$1.31 COP 4,016

-61.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.54 MNT 1,929

$2.17 COP 6,680

-75.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.23 MNT 22.4K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 MNT 3,803

$1.36 COP 4,172

-22.06%

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

$27.3K MNT 98.3M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-0.47%

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

$34.5K MNT 124.0M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-5.60%

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

$69.8 MNT 250.8K

$169 COP 519.2K

-58.66%

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

$7.47 MNT 26.8K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-44.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.90 MNT 50.0K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-50.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.1 MNT 241.1K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

46.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.23 MNT 65.5K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

5.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.08 MNT 14.7K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-38.65%

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

$813 MNT 2.9M

$803 COP 2.5M

1.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,436 MNT 30.3M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-8.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.6 MNT 300.7K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-4.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.65 MNT 160.5K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-24.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 377.1K

$139 COP 427.5K

-24.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$190 MNT 683.9K

$102 COP 314.0K

86.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 MNT 2.1M

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-45.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$452 MNT 1.6M

$653 COP 2.0M

-30.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 MNT 6.1M

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 MNT 3.7M

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-2.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,928 MNT 6.9M

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$955 MNT 3.4M

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-43.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$592 MNT 2.1M

$655 COP 2.0M

-9.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.32

10.94

-5.67%

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

Last update for Ulaanbaatar: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $586 in Ulaanbaatar versus $1,071 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 11% 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 $33.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $300 – making Ulaanbaatar 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

Ulaanbaatar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 42%, 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 $1,739 per month in Ulaanbaatar and $2,462 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $33.00 in Ulaanbaatar 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 $1,160 in Ulaanbaatar and $1,641 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ulaanbaatar, where all-in costs run around $1,160, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Ulaanbaatar it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ulaanbaatar – 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 Ulaanbaatar. 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.