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: $389 in Bunia versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $632 in Bunia versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $874 in Bunia versus $2,192 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 CDF 2,337

$1.09 COP 3,906

-5.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 CDF 4,429

$1.26 COP 4,508

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,652

$1.38 COP 4,922

48.55%

Eggs

$3.71 CDF 8,412

$2.19 COP 7,827

69.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.98 CDF 6,757

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-32.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.98 CDF 11.3K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-11.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-42.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 CDF 11.2K

$2.34 COP 8,349

110.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 CDF 3,480

$1.06 COP 3,777

44.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 CDF 5,821

$1.50 COP 5,374

70.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 CDF 4,648

$1.38 COP 4,924

48.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 CDF 6,730

$1.15 COP 4,111

157.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 CDF 6,620

$1.16 COP 4,155

151.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.88 CDF 8,810

$0.89 COP 3,182

335.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 CDF 1,980

$0.84 COP 2,997

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.13 CDF 13.9K

$2.28 COP 8,145

168.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CDF 6,769

$1.20 COP 4,284

148.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.03 CDF 11.4K

$2.47 COP 8,824

103.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 CDF 15.0K

$1.47 COP 5,264

349.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.09 CDF 11.6K

$1.96 COP 7,009

159.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.95 CDF 33.9K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

93.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 CDF 4,472

$0.95 COP 3,409

107.37%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$15.23 CDF 34.6K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

60.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.94 CDF 22.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-61.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.28 CDF 34.7K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-19.58%

Cinema Ticket

$12.84 CDF 29.1K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

226.72%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,540 CDF 8.0M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-40.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.40 CDF 69.0K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-48.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.50 CDF 101.0K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

37.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.5 CDF 126.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-45.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 CDF 150.2K

$108 COP 387.2K

-38.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 160% in total monthly costs ($389 vs $1,013 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $583 in Bunia and $1,519 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 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $389 per month in Bunia versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 160% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $389 in Bunia versus $1,013 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 160% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.