Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bishkek: $1,003 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
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Bishkek Living Index
77

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$1,003

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,589

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bishkek and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bishkek and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Bishkek versus $1,589 in Medellin.

Bishkek $1,003
Medellin $1,589

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,502 in Bishkek versus $2,364 in Medellin.

Bishkek $1,502
Medellin $2,364

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,000 in Bishkek versus $3,139 in Medellin.

Bishkek $2,000
Medellin $3,139

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 37% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 25% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.66 KGS 582

$8.01 COP 25.5K

-16.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.85 KGS 2,522

$46.55 COP 148.3K

-38.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.67 KGS 495

$9.43 COP 30.1K

-39.87%

Cappuccino

$2.47 KGS 216

$2.91 COP 9,277

-15.12%

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

$0.77 KGS 67.4

$1.75 COP 5,585

-56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 KGS 35.16

$1.32 COP 4,218

-69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 KGS 122

$3.13 COP 9,969

-55.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KGS 173

$5.55 COP 17.7K

-64.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 KGS 89.9

$1.41 COP 4,495

-26.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 KGS 33.98

$2.44 COP 7,777

-84.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KGS 151

$1.63 COP 5,191

6.13%

Eggs

$1.71 KGS 150

$2.82 COP 8,990

-39.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 KGS 667

$9.69 COP 30.9K

-21.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 KGS 390

$9.32 COP 29.7K

-52.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.88 KGS 776

$13.46 COP 42.9K

-34.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 KGS 123

$4.00 COP 12.8K

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.48 COP 4,719

28.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$2.12 COP 6,768

-5.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$2.25 COP 7,178

-30.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 KGS 54.4

$1.91 COP 6,092

-67.54%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 KGS 41.95

$1.62 COP 5,160

-70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 KGS 65.6

$1.15 COP 3,658

-34.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KGS 53.0

$1.26 COP 4,021

-51.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 KGS 181

$3.82 COP 12.2K

-45.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.06 KGS 792

$13.11 COP 41.8K

-30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 KGS 125

$1.60 COP 5,083

-10.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 KGS 177

$2.26 COP 7,188

-10.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.15

$1.17 COP 3,731

-81.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 KGS 1,035

$75.0 COP 239.0K

-84.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.7

$1.27 COP 4,056

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.09

$2.05 COP 6,531

-77.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 KGS 493

$8.20 COP 26.1K

-31.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 KGS 82.6

$1.27 COP 4,046

-25.98%

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

$30.4K KGS 2.7M

$26.8K COP 85.3M

13.63%

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

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

$34.4K COP 109.6M

-2.40%

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

$49.60 KGS 4,336

$162 COP 516.9K

-69.42%

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

$5.87 KGS 513

$13.12 COP 41.8K

-55.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.90 KGS 1,040

$28.09 COP 89.5K

-57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 KGS 4,787

$44.33 COP 141.2K

23.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 KGS 1,301

$16.33 COP 52.0K

-8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 KGS 491

$6.09 COP 19.4K

-7.72%

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

$216 KGS 18.9K

$764 COP 2.4M

-71.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,991 KGS 698.5K

$8,904 COP 28.4M

-10.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 KGS 4,811

$85.0 COP 270.8K

-35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.42 KGS 3,709

$57.5 COP 183.2K

-26.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 KGS 7,849

$132 COP 419.8K

-31.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.1 KGS 7,959

$95.8 COP 305.1K

-4.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$598 KGS 52.3K

$1,028 COP 3.3M

-41.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 KGS 36.5K

$604 COP 1.9M

-30.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,013 KGS 88.6K

$1,802 COP 5.7M

-43.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 KGS 63.2K

$993 COP 3.2M

-27.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,808 KGS 158.0K

$3,921 COP 12.5M

-53.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,209 KGS 105.7K

$1,639 COP 5.2M

-26.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 KGS 44.2K

$626 COP 2.0M

-19.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.1

10.94

83.73%

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

Last update for Bishkek: October 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bishkek

$418 42.4%

Medellin

$604 38.3% 44.7% $187

Groceries & Markets

Bishkek

$177 17.9%

Medellin

$288 18.3% 63.3% $112

Clothing & Footwear

Bishkek

$125 12.7%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 32.9% $41

Eating Out

Bishkek

$116 11.7%

Medellin

$166 10.6% 43.9% $51

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bishkek

$67 6.8%

Medellin

$203 12.9% 202% $136

Sport & Entertainment

Bishkek

$66 6.7%

Medellin

$57 3.6% 14.4% $9.5

Getting Around

Bishkek

$16 1.6%

Medellin

$91 5.8% 474% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $598 in Bishkek and $1,028 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 24% 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $47.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $288 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

15:50 3:50 PM

04:50 4:50 AM

11 h behind Bishkek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,012,500 Capital

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.14 USD

10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstani Som (сом)

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 87.42 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 97.96 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

USD to KGS in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Bishkek Medellin 13,780 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Bishkek
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and eating out. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 24% lower in Medellin. 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: $598 in Bishkek versus $1,028 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $216 in Bishkek versus $764 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,003 in Bishkek versus $1,589 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 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.