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: $375 in Butare versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Butare versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $828 in Butare versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Butare costs roughly 77% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Butare is 73% below, Medellin is 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 RWF 4,093

$8.04 COP 24.8K

-65.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-37.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

$9.42 COP 29.0K

-26.43%

Cappuccino

$2.42 RWF 3,544

$2.94 COP 9,040

-17.69%

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

$0.75 RWF 1,104

$1.86 COP 5,735

-59.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 RWF 819

$1.46 COP 4,479

-61.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 RWF 1,532

$3.21 COP 9,882

-67.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RWF 3,412

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-59.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.33 RWF 482

$1.44 COP 4,428

-77.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RWF 1,238

$2.40 COP 7,389

-65.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 RWF 1,364

$1.70 COP 5,228

-45.29%

Eggs

$1.59 RWF 2,326

$2.89 COP 8,896

-44.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.74 RWF 2,551

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-82.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.35 RWF 3,446

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-76.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 RWF 4,542

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-78.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 RWF 3,055

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-47.74%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 RWF 1,352

$1.58 COP 4,878

-41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 RWF 1,640

$2.15 COP 6,624

-47.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 RWF 1,147

$2.30 COP 7,078

-66.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 RWF 584

$2.00 COP 6,169

-80.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 RWF 379

$1.51 COP 4,646

-82.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 RWF 199

$1.20 COP 3,701

-88.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RWF 1,254

$1.28 COP 3,946

-32.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 RWF 3,023

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-46.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-27.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RWF 1,489

$1.71 COP 5,256

-40.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RWF 2,214

$2.74 COP 8,440

-44.89%

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)

$2.66 RWF 3,909

$1.31 COP 4,016

103.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 RWF 2,918

$2.17 COP 6,680

-8.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 RWF 5,044

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-58.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RWF 2,504

$1.36 COP 4,172

25.74%

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

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

$27.5K COP 84.5M

-3.21%

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

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-18.66%

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

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

$169 COP 519.2K

-50.97%

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

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-47.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-25.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 RWF 5,077

$6.65 COP 20.5K

-47.97%

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

$113 RWF 165.2K

$803 COP 2.5M

-85.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

$9,190 COP 28.3M

1.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-80.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-73.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

$139 COP 427.5K

-83.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

$102 COP 314.0K

-66.93%

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 %)

16.2

10.94

48.08%

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

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Butare vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $113 vs $300 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 337% 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 $563 in Butare 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 165% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $375 per month in Butare versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 337% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,641 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 $375 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 337% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.