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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $369 per month in Byumba vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $612 per month in Byumba vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $855 per month in Byumba vs $2,167 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 72% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.19 RWF 6,125

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-31.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.68 RWF 40.5K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.57 RWF 9,611

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-10.49%

Cappuccino

$2.25 RWF 3,290

$1.72 COP 5,600

30.81%

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

$0.81 RWF 1,179

$1.05 COP 3,420

-22.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 RWF 751

$0.77 COP 2,515

-33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 RWF 1,485

$1.69 COP 5,488

-39.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 RWF 3,003

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.70 RWF 1,024

$1.05 COP 3,423

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 RWF 1,572

$1.30 COP 4,236

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 RWF 1,823

$1.40 COP 4,544

-10.71%

Eggs

$1.71 RWF 2,505

$2.16 COP 7,047

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.00 RWF 5,856

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-8.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 RWF 6,471

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-24.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.64 RWF 5,316

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-57.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 RWF 3,622

$2.28 COP 7,426

8.77%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 RWF 1,438

$1.11 COP 3,604

-11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 RWF 2,081

$1.53 COP 4,983

-7.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 RWF 1,655

$1.35 COP 4,410

-16.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 RWF 747

$1.13 COP 3,674

-54.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 RWF 1,185

$1.13 COP 3,692

-28.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 RWF 687

$0.85 COP 2,753

-44.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RWF 1,164

$0.91 COP 2,975

-12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.76 RWF 2,581

$2.34 COP 7,630

-24.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 RWF 14.7K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 RWF 1,300

$1.20 COP 3,909

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RWF 2,500

$2.49 COP 8,104

-31.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 RWF 4,501

$1.42 COP 4,623

116.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 RWF 2,056

$1.92 COP 6,235

-26.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 RWF 5,717

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-48.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 RWF 1,663

$0.99 COP 3,223

15.15%

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

$26.6K RWF 38.9M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

47.49%

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

$30.3K RWF 44.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

13.86%

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

$47.35 RWF 69.2K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-41.41%

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

$9.00 RWF 13.2K

$9.95 COP 32.4K

-9.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.77 RWF 26.0K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-26.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.55 RWF 5,184

$3.98 COP 13.0K

-10.80%

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

$153 RWF 223.4K

$305 COP 993.5K

-49.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,179 RWF 7.6M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-14.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.85 RWF 24.6K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-71.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.38 RWF 28.3K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-39.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$24.18 RWF 35.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-76.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.27 RWF 45.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

-70.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$344 RWF 503.6K

$477 COP 1.6M

-27.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 Byumba: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $344 in Byumba versus $477 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 $28.00 in Byumba versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $147 vs $193 – 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 179% 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 $554 per month in Byumba and $1,546 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 $28.00 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 31% 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 $369, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $369 versus $1,031 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.