Cost of Living Comparison Between Benxi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Benxi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $675 per month in Benxi vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $982 per month in Benxi vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,289 per month in Benxi vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Benxi is about 60% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Benxi sits 51% below the global median, while Medellin is 23% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.92 ¥19.53

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-63.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.25 ¥149

$47.87 COP 149.4K

-53.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 ¥35.28

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-46.71%

Cappuccino

$2.40 ¥16.11

$3.13 COP 9,767

-23.32%

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

$0.46 ¥3.07

$1.91 COP 5,954

-75.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$1.51 COP 4,712

-80.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.75 ¥5.03

$3.12 COP 9,747

-75.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 ¥11.66

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-69.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.29

$1.44 COP 4,509

27.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 ¥7.74

$2.49 COP 7,759

-53.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.41

$1.77 COP 5,535

-54.24%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.62

$2.96 COP 9,235

-46.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.60 ¥64.3

$10.07 COP 31.4K

-4.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 ¥19.81

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-70.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.80 ¥59.0

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-38.46%

Apples (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.31

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-59.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.41

$1.61 COP 5,019

-13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$2.25 COP 7,007

-28.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.73

$2.25 COP 7,028

-42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$2.04 COP 6,375

-70.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.60

$1.54 COP 4,790

22.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$1.17 COP 3,651

-50.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.39

$1.31 COP 4,077

-49.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ¥19.85

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-24.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 ¥55.2

$14.01 COP 43.7K

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.95

$1.74 COP 5,439

-66.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ¥8.76

$2.87 COP 8,956

-54.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

$1.22 COP 3,792

-76.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.97 ¥80.2

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-85.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 ¥5.71

$1.31 COP 4,084

-35.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.94

$2.19 COP 6,825

-86.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ¥19.61

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-66.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.81

$1.37 COP 4,260

-14.60%

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

$19.0K ¥127.3K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

-31.74%

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

$18.0K ¥120.8K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-49.57%

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

$54.7 ¥366

$177 COP 553.2K

-69.16%

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

$6.69 ¥44.80

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-51.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.44 ¥70.0

$29.72 COP 92.8K

-64.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.9 ¥441

$44.88 COP 140.1K

46.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.12 ¥54.4

$17.12 COP 53.4K

-52.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.02 ¥40.32

$6.65 COP 20.7K

-9.47%

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

$449 ¥3,006

$813 COP 2.5M

-44.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,923 ¥59.8K

$9,187 COP 28.7M

-2.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.96 ¥201

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-66.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.34 ¥223

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-43.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 ¥404

$138 COP 431.2K

-56.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.1 ¥356

$102 COP 318.7K

-48.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$134 ¥896

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-87.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,232

$663 COP 2.1M

-72.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$260 ¥1,743

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-86.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ¥997

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-85.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,744 ¥18.4K

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-34.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,968 ¥13.2K

$1,675 COP 5.2M

17.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$441 ¥2,957

$678 COP 2.1M

-34.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-63.44%

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

Last update for Benxi: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $134 in Benxi versus $1,062 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 54% 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 $22.00 in Benxi versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $177 vs $305 – making Benxi 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

Benxi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 149% more than Benxi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,012 per month in Benxi and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Benxi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $449 per month in Benxi and $813 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Benxi costs $675 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Benxi. 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.