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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $958 per month in Bogota vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,486 per month in Bogota vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,014 per month in Bogota vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Bogota is about 5% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 COP 17.4K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-18.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.01 COP 110.6K

$32.86 COP 117.2K

-5.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 COP 27.4K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

8.46%

Cappuccino

$1.79 COP 6,387

$1.71 COP 6,105

4.68%

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

$1.00 COP 3,560

$1.10 COP 3,918

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 2,235

$0.78 COP 2,776

-19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 COP 4,025

$1.68 COP 5,987

-32.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 COP 7,606

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-30.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,363

$1.09 COP 3,899

11.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 COP 5,206

$1.26 COP 4,500

15.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,016

$1.38 COP 4,914

-18.12%

Eggs

$1.97 COP 7,013

$2.19 COP 7,813

-10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 16.7K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

6.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.96 COP 17.7K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.16 COP 25.5K

$8.89 COP 31.7K

-19.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.11 COP 11.1K

$2.34 COP 8,334

32.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,849

$1.06 COP 3,771

1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,813

$1.50 COP 5,365

-10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,646

$1.38 COP 4,915

-5.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,122

$1.15 COP 4,104

0.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 COP 4,047

$1.16 COP 4,148

-1.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 COP 2,755

$0.89 COP 3,176

-13.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,978

$0.84 COP 2,992

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 COP 9,946

$2.28 COP 8,131

22.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 COP 40.8K

$10.64 COP 37.9K

7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,078

$1.20 COP 4,276

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 COP 6,932

$2.47 COP 8,809

-21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 COP 2,505

$0.86 COP 3,051

-18.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.44 COP 144.1K

$41.40 COP 147.6K

-2.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 COP 5,258

$1.47 COP 5,255

0.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 COP 5,368

$1.96 COP 6,997

-22.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 COP 21.6K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-21.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 COP 3,647

$0.95 COP 3,403

7.37%

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

$15.8K COP 56.2M

$18.1K COP 64.6M

-13.11%

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

$25.5K COP 91.0M

$26.5K COP 94.4M

-3.66%

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

$83.8 COP 298.7K

$82.3 COP 293.2K

1.88%

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

$11.08 COP 39.5K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.45 COP 94.3K

$24.23 COP 86.4K

9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.95 COP 85.4K

$25.89 COP 92.3K

-7.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.84 COP 38.6K

$19.00 COP 67.7K

-42.95%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 COP 17.3K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

23.66%

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

$299 COP 1.1M

$309 COP 1.1M

-3.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,398 COP 29.9M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

40.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 COP 211.5K

$58.7 COP 209.1K

1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.77 COP 152.5K

$32.35 COP 115.3K

32.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.2K

$103 COP 365.7K

0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.0 COP 299.3K

$108 COP 386.5K

-22.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$453 COP 1.6M

$476 COP 1.7M

-4.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 COP 1.1M

$379 COP 1.4M

-15.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

$838 COP 3.0M

-0.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 COP 2.3M

$724 COP 2.6M

-9.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,233 COP 8.0M

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-19.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,468 COP 5.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

21.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$648 COP 2.3M

$512 COP 1.8M

26.62%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $453 in Bogota 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 27% 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 $31.00 in Bogota versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $188 – 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 6%, 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 $1,437 per month in Bogota 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 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 $958 in Bogota and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 2% 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 $958, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.