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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,161 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,804 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,446 per month in Ulaanbaatar vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Ulaanbaatar costs about 15% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ulaanbaatar and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ulaanbaatar 13% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.62 MNT 20.1K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-6.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.99 MNT 107.2K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-8.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-21.58%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MNT 9,447

$1.71 COP 6,115

54.39%

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

$0.75 MNT 2,693

$1.10 COP 3,924

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 MNT 1,705

$0.78 COP 2,781

-38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.11 MNT 7,547

$1.68 COP 5,997

25.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 MNT 8,244

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-24.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 MNT 5,317

$1.09 COP 3,906

36.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 MNT 3,489

$1.26 COP 4,508

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 MNT 7,648

$1.38 COP 4,922

55.07%

Eggs

$2.17 MNT 7,771

$2.19 COP 7,827

-0.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.06 MNT 57.4K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

265.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.56 MNT 19.9K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-1.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.27 MNT 22.4K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-29.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MNT 11.1K

$2.34 COP 8,349

32.48%

Banana (1kg)

$2.65 MNT 9,461

$1.06 COP 3,777

150.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.44 MNT 15.9K

$1.50 COP 5,374

196.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.68 MNT 9,566

$1.38 COP 4,924

94.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 MNT 2,698

$1.15 COP 4,111

-34.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 MNT 3,662

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 MNT 4,534

$0.89 COP 3,182

42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 MNT 2,624

$0.84 COP 2,997

-13.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.79 MNT 6,384

$2.28 COP 8,145

-21.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.67 MNT 34.6K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-9.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MNT 4,970

$1.20 COP 4,284

15.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 MNT 6,132

$2.47 COP 8,824

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.28 MNT 987

$0.86 COP 3,056

-67.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.61 MNT 30.8K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-79.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 MNT 2,210

$1.47 COP 5,264

-57.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MNT 2,189

$1.96 COP 7,009

-68.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.76 MNT 17.0K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-38.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 MNT 3,694

$0.95 COP 3,409

8.42%

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

$30.2K MNT 108.0M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

66.65%

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

$18.6K MNT 66.4M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-29.92%

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

$81.4 MNT 291.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-1.06%

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

$7.77 MNT 27.8K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-18.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.99 MNT 60.7K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 MNT 216.1K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

133.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.47 MNT 48.2K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-29.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.76 MNT 13.5K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-4.33%

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

$177 MNT 632.8K

$309 COP 1.1M

-42.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,504 MNT 23.3M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

9.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.3 MNT 301.5K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

43.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.5 MNT 248.6K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

114.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MNT 375.2K

$103 COP 366.4K

2.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$161 MNT 577.2K

$108 COP 387.2K

48.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MNT 1.8M

$476 COP 1.7M

7.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MNT 1.4M

$379 COP 1.4M

6.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,472 MNT 5.3M

$838 COP 3.0M

75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$740 MNT 2.6M

$724 COP 2.6M

2.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 MNT 7.0M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-29.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$953 MNT 3.4M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-21.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 MNT 2.1M

$512 COP 1.8M

17.45%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $512 in Ulaanbaatar 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 17% higher in Ulaanbaatar, 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 $30.00 in Ulaanbaatar versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Ulaanbaatar 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

Ulaanbaatar vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ulaanbaatar is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,742 per month in Ulaanbaatar 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 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 $30.00 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 $1,161 in Ulaanbaatar and $1,013 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 $1,013, than in Ulaanbaatar at $1,161. 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.