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: $964 in Bishkek versus $1,687 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,466 in Bishkek versus $2,535 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,968 in Bishkek versus $3,383 in Medellin.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 43% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 30% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.82 KGS 597

$7.89 COP 24.2K

-13.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.00 KGS 2,535

$44.53 COP 136.5K

-34.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.69 KGS 497

$9.29 COP 28.5K

-38.75%

Cappuccino

$2.36 KGS 206

$2.90 COP 8,874

-18.62%

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

$0.71 KGS 62.5

$1.81 COP 5,541

-60.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 KGS 35.42

$1.55 COP 4,741

-73.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 KGS 117

$3.25 COP 9,962

-59.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 KGS 188

$5.88 COP 18.0K

-63.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 KGS 86.9

$1.38 COP 4,230

-28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.41 KGS 35.93

$2.45 COP 7,517

-83.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 KGS 144

$1.51 COP 4,617

9.27%

Eggs

$1.69 KGS 148

$2.78 COP 8,516

-39.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 KGS 671

$9.05 COP 27.7K

-15.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.47 KGS 391

$10.65 COP 32.6K

-58.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.63 KGS 755

$14.63 COP 44.8K

-41.01%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 KGS 118

$3.97 COP 12.2K

-65.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 KGS 166

$1.38 COP 4,219

37.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.06 KGS 180

$2.30 COP 7,056

-10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 KGS 140

$2.02 COP 6,185

-20.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 KGS 51.5

$2.09 COP 6,390

-71.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 KGS 40.14

$1.63 COP 4,996

-71.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 KGS 62.7

$1.08 COP 3,313

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 KGS 53.7

$1.25 COP 3,843

-51.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 KGS 183

$4.03 COP 12.4K

-47.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 KGS 694

$13.47 COP 41.3K

-41.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 121

$1.60 COP 4,904

-13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KGS 174

$3.00 COP 9,189

-33.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.23

$1.18 COP 3,611

-81.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.81 KGS 1,032

$79.9 COP 244.9K

-85.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 KGS 72.8

$1.61 COP 4,920

-48.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.48 KGS 42.08

$2.13 COP 6,533

-77.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.68 KGS 496

$8.52 COP 26.1K

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 KGS 79.0

$1.35 COP 4,142

-33.33%

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

$30.0K KGS 2.6M

$28.3K COP 86.8M

5.94%

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

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

$35.7K COP 109.4M

-5.82%

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

$47.23 KGS 4,129

$151 COP 463.8K

-68.80%

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

$6.04 KGS 528

$13.10 COP 40.1K

-53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 KGS 1,022

$32.30 COP 99.0K

-63.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 KGS 4,861

$46.33 COP 141.9K

20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.69 KGS 1,284

$17.26 COP 52.9K

-14.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 KGS 513

$6.43 COP 19.7K

-8.86%

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

$219 KGS 19.1K

$835 COP 2.6M

-73.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,778 KGS 680.0K

$8,887 COP 27.2M

-12.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.67 KGS 4,342

$89.3 COP 273.7K

-44.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.69 KGS 3,820

$55.3 COP 169.5K

-21.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 KGS 7,732

$137 COP 418.5K

-35.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 KGS 7,930

$109 COP 335.1K

-17.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 KGS 49.9K

$952 COP 2.9M

-40.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 KGS 35.0K

$668 COP 2.0M

-40.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,047 KGS 91.6K

$2,020 COP 6.2M

-48.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 KGS 59.9K

$1,148 COP 3.5M

-40.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,676 KGS 146.5K

$3,696 COP 11.3M

-54.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,178 KGS 103.0K

$1,586 COP 4.9M

-25.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$483 KGS 42.2K

$625 COP 1.9M

-22.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.22

10.43

93.86%

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

Last update for Bishkek: August 16, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $571 in Bishkek and $952 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 29% 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 $45.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $297 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 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 29% 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: $571 in Bishkek versus $952 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $219 in Bishkek versus $835 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $964 in Bishkek versus $1,687 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 75% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.