Cost of Living Comparison Between Békéscsaba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Békéscsaba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,072 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Békéscsaba vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,101 per month in Békéscsaba vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Békéscsaba costs about 6% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Békéscsaba and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Békéscsaba 20% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.78 Ft 1,782

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-3.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.94 Ft 12.6K

$32.86 COP 118.1K

24.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.51 Ft 2,624

$7.09 COP 25.5K

20.03%

Cappuccino

$1.98 Ft 611

$1.71 COP 6,154

15.79%

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

$0.83 Ft 257

$1.10 COP 3,949

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 Ft 260

$0.78 COP 2,798

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 Ft 571

$1.68 COP 6,035

10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 Ft 360

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-61.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 Ft 313

$1.09 COP 3,930

-7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 Ft 431

$1.26 COP 4,536

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 Ft 524

$1.38 COP 4,953

23.19%

Eggs

$2.70 Ft 832

$2.19 COP 7,876

23.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.76 Ft 2,700

$4.40 COP 15.8K

99.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 Ft 1,902

$5.63 COP 20.2K

9.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 Ft 3,812

$8.89 COP 32.0K

39.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 Ft 440

$2.34 COP 8,401

-38.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 Ft 608

$1.06 COP 3,801

85.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 Ft 432

$1.50 COP 5,408

-6.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 Ft 545

$1.38 COP 4,955

28.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 Ft 315

$1.15 COP 4,137

-11.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 Ft 363

$1.16 COP 4,181

1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 Ft 186

$0.89 COP 3,202

-32.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Ft 172

$0.84 COP 3,016

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 Ft 2,137

$2.28 COP 8,196

203.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.18 Ft 979

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-70.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 Ft 217

$1.20 COP 4,311

-41.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 Ft 262

$2.47 COP 8,880

-65.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 Ft 345

$0.86 COP 3,075

30.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.89 Ft 7,673

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-39.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 Ft 817

$1.47 COP 5,297

80.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.13 Ft 347

$1.96 COP 7,053

-42.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Ft 1,763

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-26.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.69 Ft 520

$0.95 COP 3,430

77.89%

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

$24.8K Ft 7.6M

$18.1K COP 65.2M

36.70%

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

$33.9K Ft 10.5M

$26.5K COP 95.2M

28.11%

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

$173 Ft 53.3K

$82.3 COP 295.6K

110.22%

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

$26.88 Ft 8,288

$9.50 COP 34.1K

182.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.98 Ft 6,161

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-17.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.42 Ft 14.3K

$25.89 COP 93.0K

79.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 Ft 5,245

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-10.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.34 Ft 2,262

$3.93 COP 14.1K

86.77%

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

$336 Ft 103.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

8.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-41.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 Ft 16.9K

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-6.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.50 Ft 8,478

$32.35 COP 116.2K

-14.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.6 Ft 19.6K

$103 COP 368.7K

-38.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Ft 20.8K

$108 COP 389.6K

-37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 Ft 140.2K

$476 COP 1.7M

-4.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 Ft 107.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-8.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 Ft 193.3K

$838 COP 3.0M

-25.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 Ft 166.7K

$724 COP 2.6M

-25.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,625 Ft 501.0K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-41.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,243 Ft 383.2K

$1,211 COP 4.4M

2.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,453 Ft 448.0K

$512 COP 1.8M

183.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

13.43

-44.15%

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

Last update for Békéscsaba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Békéscsaba 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 184% higher in Békéscsaba, 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 $41.00 in Békéscsaba versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $188 – making Medellin 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

Békéscsaba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Békéscsaba costs about 6% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,608 per month in Békéscsaba 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.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Békéscsaba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Békéscsaba and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Békéscsaba at $1,072. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Békéscsaba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,013 versus $1,072 in Békéscsaba. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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