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: $1,959 in Bilbao versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,801 in Bilbao versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,643 in Bilbao versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bilbao is roughly 95% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bilbao is 47% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.65 €15.31

$5.91 COP 18.6K

198.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 €60.5

$32.96 COP 103.9K

111.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.64 €10.10

$7.43 COP 23.4K

56.66%

Cappuccino

$2.29 €1.99

$1.65 COP 5,212

38.79%

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

$2.98 €2.58

$1.10 COP 3,472

170.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 €1.72

$0.78 COP 2,461

153.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.73 €3.24

$1.72 COP 5,417

116.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 €3.17

$3.18 COP 10.0K

14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 €1.12

$1.10 COP 3,478

17.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 €1.25

$1.26 COP 3,966

14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 €1.42

$1.38 COP 4,354

18.84%

Eggs

$2.87 €2.49

$2.18 COP 6,866

31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.22 €13.20

$4.49 COP 14.2K

238.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 €7.58

$5.79 COP 18.3K

50.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 €11.50

$8.97 COP 28.3K

47.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 €2.42

$2.32 COP 7,315

19.83%

Banana (1kg)

$2.34 €2.03

$1.06 COP 3,356

120.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.46 €2.13

$1.52 COP 4,779

61.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.37 €2.06

$1.36 COP 4,274

74.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 €1.45

$1.13 COP 3,555

48.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 €1.92

$1.17 COP 3,692

88.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.42 €1.23

$0.90 COP 2,841

57.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 €1.00

$0.90 COP 2,826

27.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 €5.95

$2.23 COP 7,041

207.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.02 €6.95

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-33.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 €1.16

$1.19 COP 3,747

12.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 €2.28

$2.48 COP 7,823

6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 €1.68

$0.85 COP 2,690

128.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.56 €43.00

$41.62 COP 131.2K

19.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 €4.78

$1.42 COP 4,463

288.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.97 €0.84

$1.95 COP 6,147

-50.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.05 €29.53

$7.89 COP 24.9K

331.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 €1.52

$0.99 COP 3,122

76.77%

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

$38.7K €33.6K

$17.6K COP 55.5M

119.95%

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

$32.1K €27.9K

$26.8K COP 84.5M

19.81%

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

$155 €134

$83.0 COP 261.6K

86.48%

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

$21.27 €18.46

$9.70 COP 30.6K

119.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.92 €30.29

$23.52 COP 74.1K

48.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 €48.84

$25.26 COP 79.6K

122.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.87 €8.56

$19.10 COP 60.2K

-48.32%

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 €8.80

$3.95 COP 12.4K

156.96%

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

$556 €482

$316 COP 995.3K

76.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,034 €7,837

$5,975 COP 18.8M

51.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.3 €72.3

$60.0 COP 189.1K

38.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.59 €30.87

$31.82 COP 100.3K

11.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 €72.1

$102 COP 320.4K

-18.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 €97.2

$107 COP 338.7K

4.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 €966

$475 COP 1.5M

134.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 €809

$374 COP 1.2M

149.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 €1,545

$849 COP 2.7M

109.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,324 €1,149

$719 COP 2.3M

84.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,936 €5,150

$3,265 COP 10.3M

81.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,776 €3,276

$1,441 COP 4.5M

162.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,310 €2,004

$624 COP 2.0M

269.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

13.43

-74.83%

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

Last update for Bilbao: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Bilbao and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bilbao pays 270% 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: $70.0 in Bilbao vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $281 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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

Bilbao vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bilbao and Medellin differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,959 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 270% 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: $1,113 in Bilbao versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $556 in Bilbao versus $316 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Bilbao. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,959 in Bilbao, a $1,500 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 95% less than in Bilbao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.