Cost of Living Comparison Between Busia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Busia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $81.3 in Busia versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $134 in Busia versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $186 in Busia versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Busia costs roughly 92% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Busia 94% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.31 UGX 1,163

$1.05 COP 3,597

-70.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 UGX 5,245

$1.31 COP 4,479

8.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

Eggs

$1.62 UGX 5,999

$2.19 COP 7,521

-26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-51.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$2.34 COP 8,023

16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 UGX 2,983

$1.37 COP 4,680

-40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,078

$1.18 COP 4,043

38.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.27 UGX 991

$0.86 COP 2,931

-68.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.26 UGX 4,678

$2.26 COP 7,753

-44.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.49 UGX 20.3K

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-52.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 UGX 4,026

$1.20 COP 4,109

-9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 UGX 5,292

$2.48 COP 8,484

-42.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

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 Busia: June 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 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

Busia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 1165% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $122 in Busia and $1,542 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 138% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $81.3 per month in Busia versus $1,028 in Medellin – a 1165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.3 in Busia versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Busia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $81.3 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busia hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Busia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1165% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.