Cost of Living Comparison Between Bortala and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bortala and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $704 in Bortala versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,125 in Bortala versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,546 in Bortala versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Bortala costs roughly 31% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bortala 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥18.44

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-54.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.68 ¥140

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-37.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.24

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-34.02%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.81

$1.63 COP 5,687

79.75%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$1.09 COP 3,821

-60.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.73 COP 2,548

-60.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.89 ¥6.04

$1.74 COP 6,065

-48.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.85

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-36.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.05 COP 3,662

69.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.85

$1.29 COP 4,515

24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.03

$1.32 COP 4,617

-32.58%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥10.73

$2.27 COP 7,927

-29.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥86.7

$4.35 COP 15.2K

194.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.14 ¥21.20

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-46.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 ¥68.0

$8.61 COP 30.0K

16.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$2.25 COP 7,844

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.52

$1.07 COP 3,733

17.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.52

$1.52 COP 5,322

-7.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.65

$1.42 COP 4,964

-20.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$1.17 COP 4,084

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.14

$1.17 COP 4,077

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.89 COP 3,096

-37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.49

$0.90 COP 3,146

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ¥20.73

$2.25 COP 7,837

36.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.86 ¥66.7

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.14 COP 3,977

-29.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$2.38 COP 8,301

-32.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.84 COP 2,916

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.58 ¥112

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-60.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.33

$1.41 COP 4,912

-2.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.23

$1.90 COP 6,634

-82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ¥44.99

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.89

$1.01 COP 3,509

15.84%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

10.69%

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

$16.5K ¥111.7K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-37.65%

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

$46.69 ¥316

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-44.20%

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

$9.90 ¥67.0

$9.45 COP 33.0K

4.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 ¥77.1

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-52.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.09 ¥285

$25.31 COP 88.3K

66.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.86 ¥93.7

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-27.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 ¥43.19

$4.10 COP 14.3K

55.85%

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

$340 ¥2,300

$312 COP 1.1M

9.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥114.9K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

183.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 ¥289

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.75 ¥208

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-5.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥489

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-27.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ¥497

$109 COP 378.8K

-32.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 ¥1,874

$482 COP 1.7M

-42.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 ¥1,271

$379 COP 1.3M

-50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥4,028

$837 COP 2.9M

-28.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,425

$723 COP 2.5M

-50.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,970 ¥20.1K

$2,840 COP 9.9M

4.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,619 ¥10.9K

$1,223 COP 4.3M

32.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 ¥4,192

$541 COP 1.9M

14.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

13.43

-71.18%

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

Last update for Bortala: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $277 in Bortala and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bortala pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Bortala vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $195 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Bortala vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bortala wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bortala the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Bortala pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $277 in Bortala versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $704 per month in Bortala versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bortala runs roughly 153% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $704 in Bortala versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bortala but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bortala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bortala delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $704 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bortala hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bortala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.