Cost of Living Comparison Between Bosaso and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bosaso and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $413 in Bosaso versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $681 in Bosaso versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $949 in Bosaso versus $2,120 in Medellin.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 60% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bosaso 69% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 SOS 1,176

$5.92 COP 21.5K

-65.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.93 SOS 5,678

$32.75 COP 119.1K

-69.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 SOS 2,936

$7.20 COP 26.2K

-28.75%

Cappuccino

$1.23 SOS 701

$1.70 COP 6,186

-27.65%

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

$0.99 SOS 565

$1.10 COP 3,996

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 SOS 313

$0.72 COP 2,625

-23.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,067

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 SOS 1,471

$1.06 COP 3,837

142.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SOS 555

$1.25 COP 4,531

-22.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 SOS 588

$1.39 COP 5,060

-25.90%

Eggs

$1.78 SOS 1,018

$2.26 COP 8,229

-21.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 SOS 3,413

$4.33 COP 15.8K

37.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 SOS 3,778

$5.84 COP 21.2K

13.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 SOS 3,167

$8.83 COP 32.1K

-37.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 SOS 1,960

$2.24 COP 8,159

53.12%

Banana (1kg)

$3.55 SOS 2,029

$1.08 COP 3,911

228.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 SOS 1,765

$1.53 COP 5,563

101.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 SOS 1,172

$1.37 COP 4,987

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SOS 1,127

$1.13 COP 4,109

74.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SOS 587

$1.12 COP 4,067

-8.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,080

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SOS 960

$0.91 COP 3,305

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,477

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,342

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,617

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 165

$0.79 COP 2,859

-63.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 SOS 848

$1.44 COP 5,223

2.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 332

$1.91 COP 6,952

-69.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 SOS 1,743

$8.02 COP 29.2K

-61.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 SOS 562

$0.94 COP 3,410

4.26%

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

$4,051 SOS 2.3M

$17.9K COP 65.2M

-77.39%

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

$9,041 SOS 5.2M

$26.8K COP 97.4M

-66.25%

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

$84.0 COP 305.4K

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

$9.81 SOS 5,611

$9.60 COP 34.9K

2.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.39 SOS 18.5K

$24.16 COP 87.9K

34.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 94.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 69.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.2K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.86 SOS 6,210

$57.9 COP 210.6K

-81.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.13 SOS 8,653

$31.82 COP 115.7K

-52.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$13.12 SOS 7,505

$99.9 COP 363.3K

-86.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.95 SOS 8,546

$107 COP 389.7K

-86.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 SOS 70.3K

$487 COP 1.8M

-74.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.7 SOS 49.0K

$368 COP 1.3M

-76.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 SOS 113.7K

$826 COP 3.0M

-75.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 SOS 106.7K

$716 COP 2.6M

-73.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.5K SOS 17.5M

$2,925 COP 10.6M

943.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$301 SOS 172.1K

$546 COP 2.0M

-44.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.57

13.43

-36.19%

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

Last update for Bosaso: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Bosaso and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 81% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $10.00 in Bosaso vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $203 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

Bosaso vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bosaso and Medellin differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($413 vs $1,034 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 81% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $123 in Bosaso versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $413 per month in Bosaso versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Bosaso versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 150% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.