Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Butare and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $468 in Butare versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $722 in Butare versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $975 in Butare versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Butare costs roughly 54% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Butare 65% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 RWF 2,602

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-70.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 RWF 30.5K

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-37.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 RWF 8,209

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-22.27%

Cappuccino

$1.78 RWF 2,595

$1.63 COP 5,687

9.20%

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

$0.58 RWF 852

$1.09 COP 3,821

-46.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 RWF 536

$0.73 COP 2,548

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 RWF 981

$1.74 COP 6,065

-61.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 RWF 1,547

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-67.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.36 RWF 531

$1.05 COP 3,662

-65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 RWF 1,436

$1.29 COP 4,515

-24.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 RWF 1,312

$1.32 COP 4,617

-31.82%

Eggs

$1.46 RWF 2,132

$2.27 COP 7,927

-35.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.21 RWF 3,219

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-49.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.99 RWF 4,363

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-49.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.73 RWF 3,986

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-68.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 RWF 3,287

$2.25 COP 7,844

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 RWF 1,372

$1.07 COP 3,733

-12.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 RWF 1,726

$1.52 COP 5,322

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 RWF 1,129

$1.42 COP 4,964

-45.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 RWF 459

$1.17 COP 4,084

-73.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.47 RWF 680

$1.17 COP 4,077

-59.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 RWF 505

$0.89 COP 3,096

-60.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 RWF 839

$0.90 COP 3,146

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.19 RWF 1,733

$2.25 COP 7,837

-47.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 RWF 14.7K

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-8.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 RWF 1,247

$1.14 COP 3,977

-25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 RWF 2,065

$2.38 COP 8,301

-40.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 RWF 388

$0.84 COP 2,916

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.46 RWF 13.8K

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-77.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 RWF 3,062

$1.41 COP 4,912

48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.93 RWF 1,354

$1.90 COP 6,634

-51.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.79 RWF 5,531

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-51.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 RWF 1,136

$1.01 COP 3,509

-22.77%

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

$16.8K RWF 24.5M

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-4.45%

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

$8,613 RWF 12.6M

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-67.49%

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

$36.12 RWF 52.7K

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-56.84%

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

$9.01 RWF 13.1K

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-4.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.95 RWF 26.2K

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-25.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.78 RWF 37.6K

$25.31 COP 88.3K

1.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.64 RWF 8,226

$19.14 COP 66.8K

-70.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.53 RWF 5,159

$4.10 COP 14.3K

-13.90%

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

$94.3 RWF 137.6K

$312 COP 1.1M

-69.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,326 RWF 1.9M

$5,993 COP 20.9M

-77.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.16 RWF 20.7K

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-75.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 RWF 28.8K

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-39.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.46 RWF 35.7K

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-75.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.97 RWF 45.2K

$109 COP 378.8K

-71.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$210 RWF 306.9K

$482 COP 1.7M

-56.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 RWF 203.1K

$379 COP 1.3M

-63.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 RWF 463.9K

$837 COP 2.9M

-62.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$238 RWF 347.2K

$723 COP 2.5M

-67.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

13.43

20.63%

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

Last update for Butare: June 6, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $210 in Butare and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21.00 in Butare vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $116 vs $190 per month, with Butare cheaper across the board.

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

Butare vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 117% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $702 in Butare and $1,525 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $210 in Butare versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Butare – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $468 per month in Butare versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $468 in Butare versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $468 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Butare and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.