Cost of Living Comparison Between Bac Kan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bac Kan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $729 in Bac Kan versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,120 in Bac Kan versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,512 in Bac Kan versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bac Kan costs roughly 27% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bac Kan 45% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.17 ₫30.9K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-80.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.19 ₫715.5K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-17.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.60 ₫121.1K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-38.09%

Cappuccino

$0.74 ₫19.4K

$1.65 COP 5,276

-55.15%

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

$0.27 ₫7,148

$1.10 COP 3,514

-75.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ₫6,555

$0.78 COP 2,491

-67.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ₫24.6K

$1.72 COP 5,484

-45.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-68.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 ₫37.2K

$1.10 COP 3,521

28.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 ₫24.3K

$1.26 COP 4,015

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ₫24.2K

$1.38 COP 4,407

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.52 ₫39.9K

$2.18 COP 6,950

-30.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.21 ₫242.4K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

105.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ₫103.2K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-32.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.31 ₫244.9K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

3.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ₫89.2K

$2.32 COP 7,405

46.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.6K

$1.06 COP 3,397

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ₫42.9K

$1.52 COP 4,838

7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 ₫28.3K

$1.36 COP 4,327

-21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 ₫28.4K

$1.13 COP 3,599

-4.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.5K

$1.17 COP 3,738

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 ₫13.6K

$0.90 COP 2,876

-42.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ₫14.9K

$0.90 COP 2,861

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 ₫36.2K

$2.23 COP 7,128

-38.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.25 ₫348.8K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

9.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ₫23.3K

$1.19 COP 3,793

-25.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₫47.7K

$2.48 COP 7,920

-27.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ₫8,267

$0.85 COP 2,723

-63.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.66 ₫175.2K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-84.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.4K

$1.42 COP 4,518

-47.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₫14.9K

$1.95 COP 6,223

-70.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 ₫42.4K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-79.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 ₫23.5K

$0.99 COP 3,160

-10.10%

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

$38.5K ₫1.0B

$17.6K COP 56.2M

118.78%

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

$32.1K ₫845.1M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

19.81%

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

$81.0 ₫2.1M

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-2.47%

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

$5.36 ₫141.2K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-44.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.98 ₫236.3K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-61.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.69 ₫570.9K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-14.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.45 ₫196.0K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-60.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.90 ₫102.5K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-1.27%

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

$264 ₫7.0M

$316 COP 1.0M

-16.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ₫303.5M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

93.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.25 ₫1.2M

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-26.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.02 ₫606.0K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-27.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 ₫2.4M

$102 COP 324.4K

-11.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ₫1.9M

$107 COP 342.8K

-32.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 ₫9.6M

$475 COP 1.5M

-23.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$250 ₫6.6M

$374 COP 1.2M

-33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$679 ₫17.9M

$849 COP 2.7M

-19.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ₫12.0M

$719 COP 2.3M

-36.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,894 ₫76.2M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-11.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,293 ₫34.0M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-10.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

13.43

-32.24%

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

Last update for Bac Kan: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $364 in Bac Kan and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Bac Kan vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $193 per month, with Bac Kan cheaper across the board.

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

Bac Kan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bac Kan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,093 in Bac Kan and $1,504 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $364 in Bac Kan versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Kan – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $729 per month in Bac Kan versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $729 in Bac Kan versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bac Kan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bac Kan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bac Kan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bac Kan and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bac Kan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.