Cost of Living Comparison Between Bunia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bunia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $391 in Bunia versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $637 in Bunia versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $882 in Bunia versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bunia costs roughly 62% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Bunia 71% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 CDF 2,292

$1.05 COP 3,423

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 CDF 4,444

$1.30 COP 4,236

52.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 CDF 4,374

$1.40 COP 4,544

39.29%

Eggs

$3.70 CDF 8,312

$2.16 COP 7,046

71.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.04 CDF 6,827

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-30.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 CDF 11.0K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-16.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.87 CDF 11.0K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-43.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 CDF 11.1K

$2.28 COP 7,425

116.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 CDF 3,312

$1.11 COP 3,603

32.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 CDF 5,502

$1.53 COP 4,982

60.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 CDF 4,586

$1.35 COP 4,410

51.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.92 CDF 6,570

$1.13 COP 3,674

158.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.07 CDF 6,893

$1.13 COP 3,692

171.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.89 CDF 8,738

$0.85 COP 2,753

357.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 CDF 1,979

$0.91 COP 2,975

-3.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 CDF 13.1K

$2.34 COP 7,629

149.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.08 CDF 6,911

$1.20 COP 3,909

156.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 CDF 11.2K

$2.49 COP 8,104

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 CDF 15.2K

$1.42 COP 4,623

375.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.99 CDF 11.2K

$1.92 COP 6,235

159.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.29 CDF 34.3K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

99.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 CDF 4,377

$0.99 COP 3,223

96.97%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$15.12 CDF 34.0K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

51.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.81 CDF 22.0K

$25.08 COP 81.6K

-60.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.26 CDF 34.3K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-20.31%

Cinema Ticket

$12.86 CDF 28.9K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

223.12%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,448 CDF 7.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-43.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.60 CDF 66.5K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-49.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.13 CDF 101.4K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

40.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 CDF 122.0K

$101 COP 327.9K

-46.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.2 CDF 146.4K

$108 COP 350.8K

-39.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Bunia: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

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

Bunia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bunia and Medellin differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($391 vs $1,031 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $587 in Bunia and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $391 per month in Bunia versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $391 in Bunia versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bunia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bunia 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 Bunia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.