Cost of Living Comparison Between Brest and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brest and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,498 in Brest versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Brest versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Brest versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Brest costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brest 10% above, Medellin 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.03 €13.98
$8.02 COP 25.0K
99.88%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.69 €40.70
$47.87 COP 149.4K
-2.47%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.65 €10.15
$9.89 COP 30.8K
17.80%
Cappuccino
$3.17 €2.76
$3.13 COP 9,767
1.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80 €2.44
$1.91 COP 5,954
46.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 €1.84
$1.51 COP 4,712
39.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.78 €5.91
$3.12 COP 9,747
117.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.75 €4.14
$5.75 COP 17.9K
-17.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.15 €1.00
$1.44 COP 4,509
-20.14%
White Bread (500g)
$1.66 €1.45
$2.49 COP 7,759
-33.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.54 €2.21
$1.77 COP 5,535
43.50%
Eggs
$3.77 €3.29
$2.96 COP 9,235
27.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.68 €16.28
$10.07 COP 31.4K
85.50%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.44 €9.97
$10.12 COP 31.6K
13.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.67 €12.79
$14.30 COP 44.6K
2.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 €2.57
$4.14 COP 12.9K
-28.74%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 €1.78
$1.61 COP 5,019
27.33%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.05 €3.53
$2.25 COP 7,007
80.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.20 €2.79
$2.25 COP 7,028
42.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.75 €1.53
$2.04 COP 6,375
-14.22%
Onion (1kg)
$2.07 €1.80
$1.54 COP 4,790
34.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 €1.25
$1.17 COP 3,651
23.08%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.45 €0.39
$1.31 COP 4,077
-65.65%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.80 €12.03
$3.90 COP 12.2K
253.85%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.77 €5.90
$14.01 COP 43.7K
-51.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.59 €3.13
$1.74 COP 5,439
106.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 €2.62
$2.87 COP 8,956
4.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Brest
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.00 €1.74
$1.22 COP 3,792
63.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.60 €36.27
$80.5 COP 251.1K
-48.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.40 €7.32
$1.31 COP 4,084
541.22%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 €1.90
$2.19 COP 6,825
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.96 €27.86
$8.71 COP 27.2K
266.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.06 €1.79
$1.37 COP 4,260
50.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.4K €32.6K
$27.8K COP 86.9M
34.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.2K €30.7K
$35.8K COP 111.6M
-1.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 €143
$177 COP 553.2K
-7.73%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.83 €25.13
$13.88 COP 43.3K
107.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.68 €25.00
$29.72 COP 92.8K
-3.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.87 €32.14
$44.88 COP 140.1K
-17.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.23 €21.12
$17.12 COP 53.4K
41.53%
Cinema Ticket
$13.92 €12.14
$6.65 COP 20.7K
109.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$230 €200
$813 COP 2.5M
-71.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.9K €10.4K
$9,187 COP 28.7M
29.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.2 €50.7
$89.5 COP 279.3K
-34.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.33 €38.64
$59.0 COP 184.0K
-24.83%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.3 €63.0
$138 COP 431.2K
-47.71%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$94.0 €81.9
$102 COP 318.7K
-7.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brest
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$535 €466
$1,062 COP 3.3M
-49.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$403 €351
$663 COP 2.1M
-39.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$896 €781
$1,888 COP 5.9M
-52.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$763 €665
$1,027 COP 3.2M
-25.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,833 €2,469
$4,183 COP 13.1M
-32.28%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,585 €2,253
$1,675 COP 5.2M
54.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brest
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$2,722 €2,373
$678 COP 2.1M
301.65%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.82
10.94
-65.08%

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

Last update for Brest: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $535 in Brest and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brest pays 302% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Brest vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $328 vs $305, 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
Brest vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Brest or Medellin?
Brest wins on cost – living expenses run 12% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brest the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Brest or in Medellin?
Average pay runs 302% higher in Brest, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Brest compared to Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $535 in Brest versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Brest and in Medellin?
Dining out is cheaper in Brest – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Brest compared to Medellin?
All in, you'll spend $1,498 per month in Brest versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Brest or in Medellin?
At $1,498 in Brest versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brest but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Brest or Medellin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Brest delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,498 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brest hard to pass up.
How safe is Brest compared to Medellin?
Safety-wise, Brest and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Brest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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