Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Boise, ID and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,623 per month in Boise, ID vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,640 per month in Boise, ID vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,656 per month in Boise, ID vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Boise, ID costs about 154% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Boise, ID sits 96% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.97 $19.97

$6.16 COP 20.1K

224.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.9 $64.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

99.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.97 $10.97

$7.34 COP 23.9K

49.46%

Cappuccino

$6.46 $6.46

$1.72 COP 5,600

275.58%

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

$2.58 $2.58

$1.05 COP 3,420

145.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.77 COP 2,515

196.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$1.69 COP 5,488

323.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.17 COP 10.3K

120.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.05 COP 3,423

-11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.30 COP 4,236

171.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$1.40 COP 4,544

278.57%

Eggs

$3.86 $3.86

$2.16 COP 7,047

78.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.07 $13.07

$4.39 COP 14.3K

197.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.80 $8.80

$5.88 COP 19.1K

49.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$8.64 COP 28.1K

51.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.28 COP 7,426

118.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.11 COP 3,604

45.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.53 COP 4,983

147.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$1.35 COP 4,410

265.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.13 COP 3,674

109.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.13 COP 3,692

92.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.85 COP 2,753

124.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.91 COP 2,975

137.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.37 $8.37

$2.34 COP 7,630

257.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 $15.66

$12.37 COP 40.3K

26.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.20 COP 3,909

46.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.49 COP 8,104

3.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.84 COP 2,728

76.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.27 $42.27

$40.57 COP 132.1K

4.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.42 COP 4,623

78.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.92 COP 6,235

-20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 $24.30

$7.66 COP 24.9K

217.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$0.99 COP 3,223

2.02%

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

$33.6K $33.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

86.23%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-5.93%

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

$135 $135

$80.8 COP 263.1K

67.05%

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

$49.42 $49.42

$9.95 COP 32.4K

396.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.0 $73.0

$24.18 COP 78.7K

201.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.19 $39.19

$25.08 COP 81.7K

56.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.08 $37.08

$19.15 COP 62.3K

93.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.56 $12.56

$3.98 COP 13.0K

215.58%

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

$1,238 $1,238

$305 COP 993.5K

305.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

289.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$58.1 COP 189.2K

0.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.46 $33.46

$32.20 COP 104.8K

3.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 $89.4

$101 COP 327.9K

-11.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$108 COP 350.8K

-7.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$477 COP 1.6M

234.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$376 COP 1.2M

265.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$845 COP 2.7M

194.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$730 COP 2.4M

171.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,438 $7,438

$3,215 COP 10.5M

131.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,021 $3,021

$1,372 COP 4.5M

120.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,324 $4,324

$617 COP 2.0M

600.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

13.43

-51.01%

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

Last update for Boise, ID: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Boise, ID 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 601% higher in Boise, ID, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $65.0 in Boise, ID versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Boise, ID vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Boise, ID costs about 154% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,934 per month in Boise, ID 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,238 per month in Boise, ID and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 91% more in Boise, ID, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Boise, ID at $2,623. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boise, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $2,623 in Boise, ID. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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