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: $406 in Bosaso versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $673 in Bosaso versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $940 in Bosaso versus $2,144 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 70% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.01 SOS 1,144

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-66.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.05 SOS 5,709

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-69.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 SOS 2,874

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-31.81%

Cappuccino

$1.22 SOS 696

$1.65 COP 5,659

-26.06%

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

$0.98 SOS 558

$1.07 COP 3,663

-8.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 SOS 307

$0.76 COP 2,607

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 SOS 1,382

$1.05 COP 3,597

131.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SOS 579

$1.31 COP 4,479

-22.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 553

$1.34 COP 4,591

-27.61%

Eggs

$1.85 SOS 1,050

$2.19 COP 7,521

-15.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.02 SOS 3,421

$4.41 COP 15.1K

36.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 SOS 3,598

$5.69 COP 19.5K

11.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.62 SOS 3,193

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-34.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.54 SOS 2,011

$2.34 COP 8,023

51.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.42 SOS 1,945

$1.11 COP 3,804

208.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 SOS 1,676

$1.52 COP 5,210

94.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SOS 1,113

$1.37 COP 4,680

43.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.95 SOS 1,109

$1.15 COP 3,950

69.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 557

$1.18 COP 4,043

-16.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SOS 917

$0.86 COP 2,931

87.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 SOS 178

$0.79 COP 2,721

-60.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 SOS 846

$1.47 COP 5,023

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$1.92 COP 6,568

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 SOS 1,660

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-62.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 582

$1.01 COP 3,464

0.99%

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

$4,062 SOS 2.3M

$17.7K COP 60.5M

-76.99%

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

$8,887 SOS 5.0M

$26.5K COP 90.7M

-66.41%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.83 SOS 5,582

$9.43 COP 32.3K

4.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.57 SOS 17.9K

$23.86 COP 81.8K

32.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.98 SOS 6,237

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-81.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.73 SOS 8,365

$31.97 COP 109.6K

-53.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.83 SOS 7,285

$101 COP 346.9K

-87.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.73 SOS 8,364

$105 COP 360.3K

-85.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$123 SOS 70.1K

$485 COP 1.7M

-74.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$365 COP 1.3M

-76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 SOS 112.9K

$827 COP 2.8M

-75.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 SOS 107.7K

$730 COP 2.5M

-74.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.5K SOS 16.8M

$2,992 COP 10.3M

886.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 SOS 169.1K

$551 COP 1.9M

-45.95%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $123 in Bosaso and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 85% 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 $199 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 153% in total monthly costs ($406 vs $1,028 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 85% 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 $485 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 $406 per month in Bosaso versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $406 in Bosaso versus $1,028 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 153% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.