Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Budva and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,664 per month in Budva vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,659 per month in Budva vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,654 per month in Budva vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Budva is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Budva and Medellin sit above the global median – Budva by 21%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.02 €12.95

$8.03 COP 25.3K

87.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.0 €60.3

$48.26 COP 152.3K

44.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.11 €12.17

$9.77 COP 30.8K

44.42%

Cappuccino

$3.62 €3.12

$2.91 COP 9,185

24.40%

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

$2.30 €1.99

$1.94 COP 6,134

18.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 €1.38

$1.52 COP 4,801

5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 €4.18

$3.09 COP 9,759

56.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.42 €3.82

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-23.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 €1.09

$1.36 COP 4,304

-7.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 €0.98

$2.39 COP 7,534

-52.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 €1.95

$1.70 COP 5,366

32.94%

Eggs

$3.21 €2.77

$2.87 COP 9,056

11.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.19 €7.93

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-7.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 €8.25

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.85 €11.09

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-12.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 €1.19

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-66.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 €1.50

$1.57 COP 4,960

10.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 €1.32

$2.13 COP 6,708

-28.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.90 €2.50

$2.21 COP 6,985

31.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 €0.82

$2.05 COP 6,460

-53.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 €0.99

$1.50 COP 4,747

-23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.79 €1.55

$1.19 COP 3,755

50.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 €0.80

$1.16 COP 3,654

-19.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 €3.97

$3.90 COP 12.3K

17.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.99 €6.89

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-44.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 €0.97

$1.58 COP 4,997

-28.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 €1.57

$2.83 COP 8,923

-35.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.88 €2.48

$1.17 COP 3,686

146.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.02 €35.38

$77.7 COP 245.3K

-47.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.28 COP 4,054

-10.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.03

$2.09 COP 6,602

-43.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.54 €15.13

$8.62 COP 27.2K

103.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.30 COP 4,096

35.38%

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

$29.8K €25.7K

$27.7K COP 87.3M

7.58%

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

$26.3K €22.7K

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-25.82%

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

$169 €146

$176 COP 555.6K

-3.83%

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

$15.41 €13.29

$13.37 COP 42.2K

15.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.50 €29.76

$29.89 COP 94.3K

15.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 €51.7

$44.76 COP 141.2K

33.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.34 €19.27

$17.06 COP 53.8K

30.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.46 €5.57

$6.20 COP 19.6K

4.19%

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

$413 €356

$793 COP 2.5M

-47.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.2K €8,829

$9,019 COP 28.5M

13.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$111 €95.8

$85.6 COP 270.1K

29.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.10 €39.76

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-21.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 €87.9

$136 COP 430.1K

-25.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$189 €163

$103 COP 325.4K

83.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$812 €700

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-23.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 €511

$680 COP 2.1M

-12.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,543 €1,331

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-23.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 €1,014

$1,169 COP 3.7M

0.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,272 €3,684

$4,111 COP 13.0M

3.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,029 €2,613

$1,701 COP 5.4M

78.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,056 €911

$665 COP 2.1M

58.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.95

10.94

-45.61%

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

Last update for Budva: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $812 in Budva versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 59% higher in Budva, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Budva versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Budva vs $303 in Medellin – so Budva wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Budva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,664 in Budva, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,497 per month in Budva and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budva, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,664 in Budva and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 89% less in Budva. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budva, where all-in costs run around $1,664, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Budva it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,664 in Budva to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budva. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.