Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bilbao and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,098 in Bilbao versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,199 in Bilbao versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,300 in Bilbao versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 25% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bilbao 53% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.11 €18.28

$8.02 COP 24.9K

163.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 €62.7

$47.87 COP 148.7K

51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 €11.14

$9.89 COP 30.7K

30.13%

Cappuccino

$2.51 €2.18

$3.13 COP 9,725

-19.81%

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

$2.98 €2.58

$1.91 COP 5,929

56.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 €1.54

$1.51 COP 4,692

17.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 €2.93

$3.12 COP 9,705

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 €2.86

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-42.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 €1.21

$1.44 COP 4,490

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.37

$2.49 COP 7,726

-36.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 €1.41

$1.77 COP 5,511

-7.91%

Eggs

$3.28 €2.84

$2.96 COP 9,196

10.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.05 €13.03

$10.07 COP 31.3K

49.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.16 €7.06

$10.12 COP 31.4K

-19.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.63 €11.80

$14.30 COP 44.4K

-4.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 €2.47

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-31.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 €1.83

$1.61 COP 4,997

31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 €2.25

$2.25 COP 6,977

15.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.09

$2.25 COP 6,998

7.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 €1.31

$2.04 COP 6,348

-25.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 €2.20

$1.54 COP 4,770

64.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 €1.11

$1.17 COP 3,636

9.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 €0.75

$1.31 COP 4,060

-33.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.11 €6.16

$3.90 COP 12.1K

82.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €6.95

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-42.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.74 COP 5,416

-8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 €2.23

$2.87 COP 8,918

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.84 €1.59

$1.22 COP 3,776

50.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 €45.08

$80.5 COP 250.1K

-35.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 €4.88

$1.31 COP 4,067

329.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 €0.92

$2.19 COP 6,796

-51.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.37 €28.89

$8.71 COP 27.1K

283.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.37 COP 4,241

30.66%

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

$36.5K €31.6K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

30.98%

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

$31.9K €27.6K

$35.8K COP 111.2M

-10.94%

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

$146 €126

$177 COP 550.9K

-17.88%

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

$20.91 €18.10

$13.88 COP 43.1K

50.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.41 €26.32

$29.72 COP 92.4K

2.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 €49.00

$44.88 COP 139.5K

26.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.73 €13.61

$17.12 COP 53.2K

-8.12%

Cinema Ticket

$10.26 €8.88

$6.65 COP 20.6K

54.29%

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

$541 €469

$813 COP 2.5M

-33.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K €10.2K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

27.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$92.5 €80.1

$89.5 COP 278.1K

3.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.80 €30.99

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-39.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 €62.8

$138 COP 429.4K

-47.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 €113

$102 COP 317.3K

27.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 €1,118

$1,062 COP 3.3M

21.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,076 €931

$663 COP 2.1M

62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,463 €2,132

$1,888 COP 5.9M

30.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,745 €1,510

$1,027 COP 3.2M

69.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,058 €5,244

$4,183 COP 13.0M

44.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,812 €3,300

$1,675 COP 5.2M

127.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,502 €2,166

$678 COP 2.1M

269.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.98

10.94

-72.76%

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

Last update for Bilbao: September 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,291 in Bilbao and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 269% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Bilbao vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $280 vs $305, with Bilbao cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bilbao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Medellin differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($2,098 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 269% higher in Bilbao, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,291 in Bilbao versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $541 in Bilbao versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Bilbao pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,098 in Bilbao, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bilbao. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bilbao 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.