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: $461 in Butare versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $721 in Butare versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $981 in Butare versus $2,143 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 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.70 RWF 2,491

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-71.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.17 RWF 31.0K

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-35.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.56 RWF 8,136

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-25.17%

Cappuccino

$1.72 RWF 2,511

$1.65 COP 5,276

4.24%

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

$0.58 RWF 844

$1.10 COP 3,514

-47.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 RWF 529

$0.78 COP 2,491

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 RWF 982

$1.72 COP 5,484

-61.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 RWF 1,554

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.40 RWF 582

$1.10 COP 3,521

-63.64%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 RWF 1,407

$1.26 COP 4,015

-23.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 RWF 1,394

$1.38 COP 4,407

-31.16%

Eggs

$1.43 RWF 2,090

$2.18 COP 6,950

-34.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.26 RWF 3,310

$4.49 COP 14.3K

-49.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 RWF 4,555

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-46.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.70 RWF 3,951

$8.97 COP 28.6K

-69.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 RWF 3,415

$2.32 COP 7,405

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.88 RWF 1,292

$1.06 COP 3,397

-16.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 RWF 1,645

$1.52 COP 4,838

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 RWF 1,057

$1.36 COP 4,327

-47.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 RWF 501

$1.13 COP 3,599

-69.91%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 RWF 636

$1.17 COP 3,738

-63.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 RWF 552

$0.90 COP 2,876

-57.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 RWF 840

$0.90 COP 2,861

-36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 RWF 1,834

$2.23 COP 7,128

-43.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.40 RWF 15.2K

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-14.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RWF 1,332

$1.19 COP 3,793

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 RWF 1,993

$2.48 COP 7,920

-45.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 RWF 429

$0.85 COP 2,723

-65.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 RWF 14.5K

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-76.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 RWF 3,081

$1.42 COP 4,518

48.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.92 RWF 1,350

$1.95 COP 6,223

-52.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 RWF 5,463

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-52.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 RWF 1,076

$0.99 COP 3,160

-25.25%

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

$16.8K RWF 24.6M

$17.6K COP 56.2M

-4.31%

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

$8,546 RWF 12.5M

$26.8K COP 85.5M

-68.11%

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

$36.66 RWF 53.6K

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-55.84%

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

$9.03 RWF 13.2K

$9.70 COP 30.9K

-6.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.19 RWF 26.6K

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-22.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.43 RWF 37.2K

$25.26 COP 80.6K

0.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.41 RWF 7,920

$19.10 COP 60.9K

-71.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.45 RWF 5,047

$3.95 COP 12.6K

-12.66%

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

$93.6 RWF 137.0K

$316 COP 1.0M

-70.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,373 RWF 2.0M

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-77.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.69 RWF 20.0K

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-77.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.70 RWF 28.8K

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-38.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.46 RWF 35.8K

$102 COP 324.4K

-75.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.75 RWF 45.0K

$107 COP 342.8K

-71.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$207 RWF 303.4K

$475 COP 1.5M

-56.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 RWF 204.4K

$374 COP 1.2M

-62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$316 RWF 462.3K

$849 COP 2.7M

-62.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$239 RWF 349.8K

$719 COP 2.3M

-66.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $207 in Butare and $475 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 $117 vs $193 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 118% 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 $691 in Butare and $1,504 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: $207 in Butare versus $475 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 $461 per month in Butare versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $461 in Butare versus $1,003 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 $461 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 118% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.