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: $324 in Bosaso versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $496 in Bosaso versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $667 in Bosaso versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 81% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bosaso is 76% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 SOS 1,142

$8.02 COP 25.0K

-74.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 SOS 2,868

$9.89 COP 30.8K

-48.94%

Cappuccino

$1.51 SOS 860

$3.13 COP 9,767

-51.76%

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

$1.02 SOS 579

$1.91 COP 5,954

-46.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 SOS 360

$1.51 COP 4,712

-58.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 SOS 1,671

$1.44 COP 4,509

104.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.39 SOS 221

$1.77 COP 5,535

-77.97%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 SOS 1,680

$10.12 COP 31.6K

-70.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,306

$14.30 COP 44.6K

-71.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-51.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SOS 1,670

$1.61 COP 5,019

82.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SOS 860

$1.31 COP 4,077

15.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.02 SOS 579

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-73.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 165

$1.22 COP 3,792

-76.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 SOS 985

$1.31 COP 4,084

32.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 SOS 497

$2.19 COP 6,825

-60.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 SOS 1,429

$8.71 COP 27.2K

-71.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 SOS 503

$1.37 COP 4,260

-35.04%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

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

$177 COP 553.2K

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

$9.85 SOS 5,596

$13.88 COP 43.3K

-29.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.31 SOS 18.4K

$29.72 COP 92.8K

8.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

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

$813 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.18 SOS 6,349

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-87.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.06 SOS 8,557

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-74.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$13.20 SOS 7,495

$138 COP 431.2K

-90.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.79 SOS 8,402

$102 COP 318.7K

-85.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 SOS 70.2K

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-88.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.2 SOS 48.9K

$663 COP 2.1M

-87.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 SOS 115.1K

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-89.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 SOS 107.5K

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-81.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$30.1K SOS 17.1M

$4,183 COP 13.1M

618.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 SOS 170.1K

$678 COP 2.1M

-55.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Bosaso: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bosaso and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 126% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 418% in total monthly costs ($324 vs $1,681 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 126% 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: $124 in Bosaso versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 194% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $324 per month in Bosaso versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 418% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $324 in Bosaso versus $1,681 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 418% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.