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: $889 in Bishkek versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,368 in Bishkek versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,847 in Bishkek versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bishkek 34% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.46 KGS 566

$5.92 COP 21.5K

9.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.00 KGS 1,839

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-35.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 KGS 489

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-22.36%

Cappuccino

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.70 COP 6,186

18.24%

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

$0.68 KGS 59.8

$1.10 COP 3,996

-38.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KGS 28.58

$0.72 COP 2,625

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 KGS 102

$1.67 COP 6,067

-30.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 KGS 146

$3.10 COP 11.3K

-46.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.7

$1.06 COP 3,837

-9.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 KGS 40.14

$1.25 COP 4,531

-63.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 138

$1.39 COP 5,060

12.95%

Eggs

$1.73 KGS 151

$2.26 COP 8,229

-23.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 KGS 693

$4.33 COP 15.8K

82.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.94 KGS 432

$5.84 COP 21.2K

-15.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.97 KGS 698

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-9.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.10 KGS 96.6

$2.24 COP 8,159

-50.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 KGS 169

$1.08 COP 3,911

78.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.53 COP 5,563

31.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 KGS 148

$1.37 COP 4,987

23.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 KGS 47.44

$1.13 COP 4,109

-52.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 KGS 42.62

$1.12 COP 4,067

-56.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 KGS 52.1

$0.85 COP 3,080

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KGS 41.28

$0.91 COP 3,305

-48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.77 KGS 155

$2.33 COP 8,477

-24.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.06 KGS 706

$11.13 COP 40.5K

-27.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 KGS 102

$1.19 COP 4,342

-2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 KGS 167

$2.37 COP 8,617

-19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 KGS 19.27

$0.79 COP 2,859

-72.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 KGS 1,027

$41.13 COP 149.6K

-71.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 KGS 123

$1.44 COP 5,223

-2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.24 KGS 21.13

$1.91 COP 6,952

-87.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 KGS 295

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-57.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 KGS 74.1

$0.94 COP 3,410

-9.57%

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

$38.4K KGS 3.4M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

114.45%

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

$34.3K KGS 3.0M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

28.17%

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

$34.11 KGS 2,987

$84.0 COP 305.4K

-59.37%

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

$6.92 KGS 606

$9.60 COP 34.9K

-27.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.63 KGS 1,018

$24.16 COP 87.9K

-51.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.99 KGS 3,678

$25.88 COP 94.1K

62.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.56 KGS 1,363

$19.04 COP 69.3K

-18.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 KGS 393

$3.92 COP 14.2K

14.29%

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

$197 KGS 17.3K

$306 COP 1.1M

-35.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,484 KGS 392.7K

$5,919 COP 21.5M

-24.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.79 KGS 3,310

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-34.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.30 KGS 3,442

$31.82 COP 115.7K

23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 KGS 8,384

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-4.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 KGS 9,057

$107 COP 389.7K

-3.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 KGS 43.9K

$487 COP 1.8M

3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$367 KGS 32.1K

$368 COP 1.3M

-0.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$899 KGS 78.7K

$826 COP 3.0M

8.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 KGS 54.1K

$716 COP 2.6M

-13.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,609 KGS 140.9K

$2,925 COP 10.6M

-44.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,157 KGS 101.4K

$1,407 COP 5.1M

-17.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$461 KGS 40.3K

$546 COP 2.0M

-15.55%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Bishkek and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 18% 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 $170 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 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 18% 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: $501 in Bishkek versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Bishkek versus $306 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 $889 in Bishkek versus $1,034 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.