Cost of Living Comparison Between Buon Ma Thuot and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Buon Ma Thuot and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $730 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,114 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,499 per month in Buon Ma Thuot vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Buon Ma Thuot is about 27% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Buon Ma Thuot and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Buon Ma Thuot 45% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.93 ₫50.8K

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-67.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.29 ₫297.2K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-65.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.30 ₫113.2K

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-42.13%

Cappuccino

$0.99 ₫26.2K

$1.65 COP 5,276

-40.00%

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

$0.36 ₫9,514

$1.10 COP 3,514

-67.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ₫7,903

$0.78 COP 2,491

-61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ₫33.3K

$1.72 COP 5,484

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 ₫33.5K

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-60.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ₫37.7K

$1.10 COP 3,521

30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 ₫26.1K

$1.26 COP 4,015

-21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ₫24.8K

$1.38 COP 4,407

-31.88%

Eggs

$1.48 ₫39.0K

$2.18 COP 6,950

-32.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 ₫303.3K

$4.49 COP 14.3K

156.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ₫94.6K

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-37.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ₫268.3K

$8.97 COP 28.6K

13.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 ₫69.6K

$2.32 COP 7,405

13.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.6K

$1.06 COP 3,397

-4.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ₫35.7K

$1.52 COP 4,838

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 ₫29.5K

$1.36 COP 4,327

-17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ₫27.3K

$1.13 COP 3,599

-7.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ₫26.7K

$1.17 COP 3,738

-13.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ₫15.5K

$0.90 COP 2,876

-34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ₫13.5K

$0.90 COP 2,861

-43.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.30 ₫34.3K

$2.23 COP 7,128

-41.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.90 ₫260.6K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-18.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ₫19.8K

$1.19 COP 3,793

-36.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₫43.1K

$2.48 COP 7,920

-33.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 ₫8,292

$0.85 COP 2,723

-62.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.64 ₫174.8K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-84.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 ₫19.5K

$1.42 COP 4,518

-47.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₫16.1K

$1.95 COP 6,223

-68.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 ₫75.1K

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-63.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 ₫23.6K

$0.99 COP 3,160

-9.09%

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

$35.7K ₫940.2M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

102.94%

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

$32.1K ₫845.9M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

19.92%

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

$76.4 ₫2.0M

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-7.96%

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

$6.02 ₫158.5K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-37.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.52 ₫224.2K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-63.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.47 ₫565.1K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-15.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.61 ₫200.4K

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-60.16%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 ₫80.3K

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-22.78%

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

$267 ₫7.0M

$316 COP 1.0M

-15.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ₫307.3M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

95.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.30 ₫1.1M

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.62 ₫621.7K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-25.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.4 ₫2.2M

$102 COP 324.4K

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 ₫1.9M

$107 COP 342.8K

-31.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 ₫9.3M

$475 COP 1.5M

-25.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 ₫6.5M

$374 COP 1.2M

-34.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$682 ₫18.0M

$849 COP 2.7M

-19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$460 ₫12.1M

$719 COP 2.3M

-36.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,681 ₫70.6M

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-17.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 ₫32.0M

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-15.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.1

13.43

-32.24%

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

Last update for Buon Ma Thuot: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $352 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $193 – making Buon Ma Thuot the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Buon Ma Thuot vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $730 in Buon Ma Thuot, $1,003 in Medellin – roughly 37% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,095 per month in Buon Ma Thuot and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11.00 in Buon Ma Thuot and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $730 in Buon Ma Thuot and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Buon Ma Thuot, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Buon Ma Thuot 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 $730 in Buon Ma Thuot to $1,003 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 Buon Ma Thuot. 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.