Cost of Living Comparison Between Byumba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Byumba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $366 per month in Byumba vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $605 per month in Byumba vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $845 per month in Byumba vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Byumba is about 64% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Byumba and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Byumba 73% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.20 RWF 6,125

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-29.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.37 RWF 39.9K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-16.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.78 RWF 9,898

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-4.37%

Cappuccino

$2.23 RWF 3,259

$1.71 COP 6,115

30.41%

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

$0.80 RWF 1,171

$1.10 COP 3,924

-27.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 RWF 766

$0.78 COP 2,781

-32.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 RWF 1,476

$1.68 COP 5,997

-39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 RWF 3,019

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-32.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 RWF 1,024

$1.09 COP 3,906

-35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 RWF 1,491

$1.26 COP 4,508

-19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 RWF 1,815

$1.38 COP 4,922

-10.14%

Eggs

$1.71 RWF 2,497

$2.19 COP 7,827

-21.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.99 RWF 5,827

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-9.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.42 RWF 6,441

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-21.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.63 RWF 5,299

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-59.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 RWF 3,576

$2.34 COP 8,349

4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 RWF 1,383

$1.06 COP 3,777

-10.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 RWF 2,147

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 RWF 1,603

$1.38 COP 4,924

-20.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 RWF 696

$1.15 COP 4,111

-58.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.80 RWF 1,173

$1.16 COP 4,155

-31.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 RWF 735

$0.89 COP 3,182

-43.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 RWF 1,181

$0.84 COP 2,997

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.69 RWF 2,465

$2.28 COP 8,145

-25.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 RWF 14.8K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-4.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 RWF 1,337

$1.20 COP 4,284

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 RWF 2,610

$2.47 COP 8,824

-27.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 RWF 4,656

$1.47 COP 5,264

117.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 RWF 2,103

$1.96 COP 7,009

-26.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.90 RWF 5,688

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 RWF 1,671

$0.95 COP 3,409

21.05%

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

$27.0K RWF 39.4M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

49.09%

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

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

13.72%

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

$47.28 RWF 69.0K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-42.52%

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

$9.05 RWF 13.2K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-4.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.00 RWF 26.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-25.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.50 RWF 5,100

$3.93 COP 14.0K

-10.94%

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

$157 RWF 228.6K

$309 COP 1.1M

-49.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,045 RWF 7.4M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-15.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.88 RWF 24.6K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-71.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.06 RWF 27.8K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-41.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.77 RWF 36.1K

$103 COP 366.4K

-75.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.47 RWF 45.9K

$108 COP 387.2K

-70.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 RWF 498.1K

$476 COP 1.7M

-28.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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 Byumba: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $341 in Byumba versus $476 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 $27.00 in Byumba versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $188 – making Byumba 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

Byumba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 177% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $549 per month in Byumba and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Byumba, 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 $27.00 in Byumba and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Byumba, where all-in costs run around $366, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Byumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Byumba costs $366 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Byumba. 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.