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: $401 in Bunia versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $650 in Bunia versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $898 in Bunia versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Bunia costs roughly 76% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bunia is 71% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 CDF 2,211

$1.44 COP 4,428

-31.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 CDF 4,610

$2.40 COP 7,389

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 CDF 4,464

$1.70 COP 5,228

15.88%

Eggs

$3.55 CDF 8,034

$2.89 COP 8,896

22.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.06 CDF 6,920

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-69.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.95 CDF 11.2K

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-50.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-64.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 CDF 11.5K

$3.98 COP 12.3K

27.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 CDF 3,441

$1.58 COP 4,878

-3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.54 CDF 5,750

$2.15 COP 6,624

18.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 CDF 4,625

$2.30 COP 7,078

-11.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 CDF 6,594

$2.00 COP 6,169

45.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 CDF 6,664

$1.51 COP 4,646

95.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.89 CDF 8,795

$1.20 COP 3,701

224.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 CDF 1,872

$1.28 COP 3,946

-35.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.07 CDF 13.7K

$3.84 COP 11.8K

58.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 CDF 6,896

$1.71 COP 5,256

78.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 CDF 11.0K

$2.74 COP 8,440

77.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$14.73 CDF 33.3K

$1.31 COP 4,016

1024.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.06 CDF 11.5K

$2.17 COP 6,680

133.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 CDF 33.3K

$8.29 COP 25.5K

77.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 CDF 4,578

$1.36 COP 4,172

48.53%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$14.93 CDF 33.8K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

10.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$10.10 CDF 22.9K

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-77.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.92 CDF 33.8K

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-13.36%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 CDF 29.9K

$6.65 COP 20.5K

98.65%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,475 CDF 7.9M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-62.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.39 CDF 68.7K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-65.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.72 CDF 101.2K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-24.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.3 CDF 122.8K

$139 COP 427.5K

-60.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.5 CDF 145.8K

$102 COP 314.0K

-36.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Bunia: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 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 309% in total monthly costs ($401 vs $1,641 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $601 in Bunia and $2,462 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $401 per month in Bunia versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $401 in Bunia versus $1,641 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 309% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.