Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloemfontein and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bloemfontein and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $962 per month in Bloemfontein vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,461 per month in Bloemfontein vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,960 per month in Bloemfontein vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bloemfontein is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Bloemfontein and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bloemfontein 28% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.14 R 181

$5.99 COP 21.4K

85.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.74 R 613

$32.86 COP 117.4K

14.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.61 R 107

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-6.77%

Cappuccino

$1.83 R 29.73

$1.71 COP 6,115

7.02%

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

$1.40 R 22.72

$1.10 COP 3,924

27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.41

$0.78 COP 2,781

21.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 R 38.32

$1.68 COP 5,997

40.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 R 35.87

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-28.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.18

$1.09 COP 3,906

-8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 R 16.00

$1.26 COP 4,508

-22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.98 R 32.11

$1.38 COP 4,922

43.48%

Eggs

$1.99 R 32.34

$2.19 COP 7,827

-9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$4.40 COP 15.7K

58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 R 78.5

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-14.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.99 R 114

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-21.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 R 27.03

$2.34 COP 8,349

-29.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 R 18.95

$1.06 COP 3,777

10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.67

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.68

$1.38 COP 4,924

-3.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R 14.00

$1.15 COP 4,111

-25.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 R 28.11

$1.16 COP 4,155

49.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 R 17.37

$0.89 COP 3,182

20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 R 14.79

$0.84 COP 2,997

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R 41.32

$2.28 COP 8,145

11.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R 79.4

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-54.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 R 24.03

$1.20 COP 4,284

23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 R 24.68

$2.47 COP 8,824

-38.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 R 12.66

$0.86 COP 3,056

-9.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.92

$1.47 COP 5,264

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.66 R 10.74

$1.96 COP 7,009

-66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.96 R 64.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-48.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 R 20.88

$0.95 COP 3,409

35.79%

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

$23.0K R 373.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

26.81%

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

$24.8K R 402.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-6.40%

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

$75.3 R 1,224

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-8.40%

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

$30.97 R 503

$9.50 COP 33.9K

226.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.17 R 571

$24.23 COP 86.5K

45.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.07 R 472

$25.89 COP 92.4K

12.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$5.74 R 93.4

$3.93 COP 14.0K

46.06%

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

$124 R 2,017

$309 COP 1.1M

-59.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,264 R 69.3K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-28.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 R 915

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-4.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.94 R 519

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 R 2,055

$103 COP 366.4K

23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.7 R 1,491

$108 COP 387.2K

-15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R 4,779

$476 COP 1.7M

-38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 R 4,711

$379 COP 1.4M

-23.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 R 7,717

$838 COP 3.0M

-43.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 R 8,273

$724 COP 2.6M

-29.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$501 R 8,147

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-82.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$640 R 10.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-47.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 R 21.7K

$512 COP 1.8M

161.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.47

13.43

-14.59%

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

Last update for Bloemfontein: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $294 in Bloemfontein versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 161% higher in Bloemfontein, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bloemfontein versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $171 in Bloemfontein vs $188 in Medellin – so Bloemfontein wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bloemfontein vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 5% more than Bloemfontein, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,443 per month in Bloemfontein and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bloemfontein, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Bloemfontein and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloemfontein, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Bloemfontein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bloemfontein costs $962 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bloemfontein. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.