Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bogota and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $966 per month in Bogota vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Bogota vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,025 per month in Bogota vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Bogota is about 6% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bogota and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Bogota 28% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 COP 16.2K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-19.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.94 COP 104.0K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-2.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 COP 25.4K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

6.40%

Cappuccino

$1.81 COP 5,896

$1.72 COP 5,600

5.23%

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

$1.00 COP 3,261

$1.05 COP 3,420

-4.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 COP 2,220

$0.77 COP 2,515

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 COP 3,825

$1.69 COP 5,488

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 COP 7,306

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-29.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 COP 3,816

$1.05 COP 3,423

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 COP 4,811

$1.30 COP 4,236

13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 COP 3,863

$1.40 COP 4,544

-15.00%

Eggs

$2.00 COP 6,511

$2.16 COP 7,047

-7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 COP 15.1K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

5.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 COP 16.6K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-13.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.20 COP 23.4K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-16.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.09 COP 10.0K

$2.28 COP 7,426

35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 COP 3,555

$1.11 COP 3,604

-1.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,423

$1.53 COP 4,983

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.28 COP 4,177

$1.35 COP 4,410

-5.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,620

$1.13 COP 3,674

-1.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 3,698

$1.13 COP 3,692

0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 COP 2,369

$0.85 COP 2,753

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 COP 2,707

$0.91 COP 2,975

-8.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.89 COP 9,417

$2.34 COP 7,630

23.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 COP 50.3K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

24.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 COP 3,606

$1.20 COP 3,909

-7.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 COP 6,039

$2.49 COP 8,104

-25.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,486

$0.84 COP 2,728

-9.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.87 COP 133.1K

$40.57 COP 132.1K

0.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 COP 4,754

$1.42 COP 4,623

2.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 COP 5,015

$1.92 COP 6,235

-19.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 COP 19.5K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,316

$0.99 COP 3,223

3.03%

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

$15.8K COP 51.4M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-12.49%

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

$25.5K COP 83.1M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-4.13%

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

$83.6 COP 272.0K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

3.39%

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

$11.26 COP 36.6K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

13.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.20 COP 85.3K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

8.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.99 COP 78.1K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-4.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 COP 35.6K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-42.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.90 COP 16.0K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

23.12%

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

$291 COP 946.5K

$305 COP 993.5K

-4.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,502 COP 27.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

40.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 COP 196.6K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

3.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.70 COP 139.0K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 333.6K

$101 COP 327.9K

1.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.4 COP 271.5K

$108 COP 350.8K

-22.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$449 COP 1.5M

$477 COP 1.6M

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 COP 1.1M

$376 COP 1.2M

-11.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 COP 2.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

-1.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$643 COP 2.1M

$730 COP 2.4M

-12.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,725 COP 8.9M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-15.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,051 COP 6.7M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

49.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$725 COP 2.4M

$617 COP 2.0M

17.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.93

13.43

-3.72%

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

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Bogota versus $477 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 18% higher in Bogota, 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 $32.00 in Bogota versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $193 – making Bogota the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bogota vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,449 per month in Bogota and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $966 in Bogota and $1,031 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bogota, where all-in costs run around $966, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Bogota it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bogota. 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.