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: $774 in Bac Kan versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,242 in Bac Kan versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,710 in Bac Kan versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bac Kan costs roughly 54% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bac Kan is 43% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.07 ₫53.9K

$8.02 COP 25.4K

-74.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.41 ₫556.9K

$47.87 COP 152.0K

-55.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.42 ₫115.1K

$9.89 COP 31.4K

-55.31%

Cappuccino

$1.84 ₫47.8K

$3.13 COP 9,937

-41.21%

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

$0.49 ₫12.8K

$1.91 COP 6,058

-74.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,847

$1.51 COP 4,794

-80.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ₫30.6K

$3.12 COP 9,917

-62.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ₫51.2K

$5.75 COP 18.3K

-65.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 ₫39.0K

$1.44 COP 4,587

4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 ₫26.1K

$2.49 COP 7,894

-59.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ₫19.8K

$1.77 COP 5,631

-57.06%

Eggs

$1.42 ₫37.1K

$2.96 COP 9,396

-52.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 ₫275.4K

$10.07 COP 32.0K

5.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 ₫100.8K

$10.12 COP 32.1K

-61.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ₫262.2K

$14.30 COP 45.4K

-29.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ₫80.6K

$4.14 COP 13.1K

-25.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 ₫27.4K

$1.61 COP 5,106

-34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.33 ₫34.6K

$2.25 COP 7,129

-40.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ₫28.3K

$2.25 COP 7,150

-51.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ₫23.9K

$2.04 COP 6,486

-54.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ₫29.3K

$1.54 COP 4,873

-26.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.3K

$1.17 COP 3,715

-49.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ₫14.3K

$1.31 COP 4,148

-58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.43 ₫37.2K

$3.90 COP 12.4K

-63.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.54 ₫326.2K

$14.01 COP 44.5K

-10.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ₫24.8K

$1.74 COP 5,534

-45.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ₫41.9K

$2.87 COP 9,112

-43.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 ₫8,876

$1.22 COP 3,858

-72.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.69 ₫174.1K

$80.5 COP 255.5K

-91.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₫21.0K

$1.31 COP 4,155

-38.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 ₫15.5K

$2.19 COP 6,944

-72.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 ₫61.9K

$8.71 COP 27.7K

-72.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 ₫22.0K

$1.37 COP 4,334

-38.69%

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

$31.2K ₫811.3M

$27.8K COP 88.4M

12.02%

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

$30.3K ₫787.6M

$35.8K COP 113.6M

-15.38%

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

$82.5 ₫2.1M

$177 COP 562.9K

-53.46%

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

$5.14 ₫133.7K

$13.88 COP 44.1K

-62.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.10 ₫236.8K

$29.72 COP 94.4K

-69.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.38 ₫582.3K

$44.88 COP 142.5K

-50.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.81 ₫203.3K

$17.12 COP 54.4K

-54.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 ₫108.0K

$6.65 COP 21.1K

-37.59%

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

$164 ₫4.3M

$813 COP 2.6M

-79.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K ₫706.9M

$9,187 COP 29.2M

195.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.59 ₫1.3M

$89.5 COP 284.1K

-45.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.02 ₫703.1K

$59.0 COP 187.2K

-54.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 ₫2.2M

$138 COP 438.8K

-38.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ₫2.2M

$102 COP 324.2K

-16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 ₫10.6M

$1,062 COP 3.4M

-61.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 ₫7.3M

$663 COP 2.1M

-57.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$739 ₫19.2M

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-60.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 ₫16.0M

$1,027 COP 3.3M

-40.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,822 ₫73.4M

$4,183 COP 13.3M

-32.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,307 ₫34.0M

$1,675 COP 5.3M

-21.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.45

10.94

-22.76%

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

Last update for Bac Kan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $407 in Bac Kan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bac Kan vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $305 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 117% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,161 in Bac Kan and $2,521 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: $407 in Bac Kan versus $1,062 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 $21.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Bac Kan versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Bac Kan versus $1,681 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 117% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.