Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $886 in Bishkek versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,355 in Bishkek versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,825 in Bishkek versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.39 KGS 558

$5.95 COP 20.8K

7.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.07 KGS 1,842

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-36.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 KGS 504

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-20.19%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.63 COP 5,687

23.31%

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

$0.64 KGS 56.3

$1.09 COP 3,821

-41.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 KGS 28.30

$0.73 COP 2,548

-56.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 KGS 102

$1.74 COP 6,065

-32.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 KGS 147

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-47.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$1.05 COP 3,662

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.17

$1.29 COP 4,515

-64.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 KGS 140

$1.32 COP 4,617

21.21%

Eggs

$1.79 KGS 156

$2.27 COP 7,927

-21.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 KGS 690

$4.35 COP 15.2K

81.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.01 KGS 438

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-14.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 KGS 671

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-10.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 KGS 92.6

$2.25 COP 7,844

-52.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KGS 170

$1.07 COP 3,733

81.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.52 COP 5,322

32.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 KGS 152

$1.42 COP 4,964

22.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.7

$1.17 COP 4,084

-49.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.77

$1.17 COP 4,077

-58.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 KGS 51.4

$0.89 COP 3,096

-33.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KGS 41.72

$0.90 COP 3,146

-46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.71 KGS 149

$2.25 COP 7,837

-24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 KGS 687

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-28.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 KGS 106

$1.14 COP 3,977

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KGS 171

$2.38 COP 8,301

-17.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.20

$0.84 COP 2,916

-73.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.60 KGS 1,014

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-72.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.41 COP 4,912

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.22 KGS 19.10

$1.90 COP 6,634

-88.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 KGS 309

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-54.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$1.01 COP 3,509

-15.84%

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

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

117.85%

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

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

29.12%

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

$33.53 KGS 2,931

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-59.93%

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

$6.94 KGS 607

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-26.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.95 KGS 1,045

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-50.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 KGS 3,722

$25.31 COP 88.3K

68.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.95 KGS 1,394

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-16.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.56 KGS 399

$4.10 COP 14.3K

11.22%

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

$201 KGS 17.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-35.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,559 KGS 398.6K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-23.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.62 KGS 3,202

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-36.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.83 KGS 3,482

$32.56 COP 113.6K

22.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 KGS 8,284

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-4.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KGS 8,922

$109 COP 378.8K

-5.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 KGS 42.3K

$482 COP 1.7M

0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 KGS 31.9K

$379 COP 1.3M

-3.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 KGS 79.6K

$837 COP 2.9M

8.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$636 KGS 55.6K

$723 COP 2.5M

-12.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,651 KGS 144.4K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-41.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 KGS 101.0K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-5.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$481 KGS 42.0K

$541 COP 1.9M

-11.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

13.43

50.41%

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

Last update for Bishkek: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $484 in Bishkek and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% 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: $21.00 in Bishkek vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $169 vs $190 per month, with Bishkek 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

Bishkek vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 13% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $484 in Bishkek versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 in Bishkek versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $886 in Bishkek versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek 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, Bishkek 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.