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 $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $688 in Bosaso versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $964 in Bosaso versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 59% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bosaso 69% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 SOS 1,155

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-65.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.95 SOS 5,640

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-69.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 SOS 2,861

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-32.03%

Cappuccino

$1.22 SOS 693

$1.65 COP 5,207

-26.06%

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

$1.02 SOS 576

$1.10 COP 3,468

-7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 SOS 312

$0.78 COP 2,458

-29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.55 SOS 1,446

$1.10 COP 3,474

131.82%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 SOS 551

$1.26 COP 3,962

-23.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 SOS 579

$1.38 COP 4,349

-26.09%

Eggs

$1.84 SOS 1,043

$2.18 COP 6,858

-15.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.94 SOS 3,368

$4.49 COP 14.1K

32.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 SOS 3,758

$5.79 COP 18.2K

14.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.59 SOS 3,171

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-37.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 SOS 2,039

$2.32 COP 7,308

55.17%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 SOS 1,999

$1.06 COP 3,352

233.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 SOS 1,710

$1.52 COP 4,774

98.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SOS 1,110

$1.36 COP 4,270

44.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 SOS 1,122

$1.13 COP 3,552

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 SOS 578

$1.17 COP 3,689

-12.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SOS 926

$0.90 COP 2,823

81.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 SOS 178

$0.85 COP 2,687

-63.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 SOS 842

$1.42 COP 4,459

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 329

$1.95 COP 6,141

-70.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SOS 1,677

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-62.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 SOS 581

$0.99 COP 3,118

4.04%

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

$4,042 SOS 2.3M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-77.03%

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

$8,963 SOS 5.1M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-66.55%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.83 SOS 5,574

$9.70 COP 30.5K

1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 SOS 17.9K

$23.52 COP 74.1K

34.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.06 SOS 6,274

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-81.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.08 SOS 8,548

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-52.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.92 SOS 7,328

$102 COP 320.1K

-87.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$15.28 SOS 8,662

$107 COP 338.3K

-85.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 SOS 72.1K

$475 COP 1.5M

-73.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.8 SOS 47.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

-77.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 SOS 115.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-76.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 SOS 109.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-73.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.3K SOS 17.2M

$3,265 COP 10.3M

829.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$304 SOS 172.3K

$624 COP 2.0M

-51.35%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Bosaso and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 106% 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 $193, 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 143% in total monthly costs ($413 vs $1,003 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 106% lower in Medellin. 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: $127 in Bosaso versus $475 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 $1,003 in Medellin – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Bosaso versus $1,003 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 143% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.