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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $413 per month in Byumba vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $646 per month in Byumba vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $880 per month in Byumba vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Byumba is about 76% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Byumba sits 70% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.32 RWF 3,408

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-71.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.63 RWF 40.5K

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-42.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 RWF 9,791

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-31.63%

Cappuccino

$2.34 RWF 3,432

$2.91 COP 9,149

-19.59%

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

$0.77 RWF 1,136

$1.94 COP 6,110

-60.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 RWF 794

$1.52 COP 4,783

-64.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 RWF 1,533

$3.09 COP 9,721

-66.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 RWF 3,847

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-54.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 RWF 1,080

$1.36 COP 4,287

-45.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RWF 1,513

$2.39 COP 7,505

-56.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 RWF 1,926

$1.70 COP 5,346

-22.94%

Eggs

$1.61 RWF 2,355

$2.87 COP 9,021

-43.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 RWF 6,296

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-56.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 RWF 6,499

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-58.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.24 RWF 6,209

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-71.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 RWF 3,570

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-40.59%

Banana (1kg)

$0.83 RWF 1,219

$1.57 COP 4,940

-47.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RWF 2,254

$2.13 COP 6,682

-27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.99 RWF 1,456

$2.21 COP 6,959

-55.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 RWF 738

$2.05 COP 6,435

-75.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 RWF 1,060

$1.50 COP 4,728

-52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 RWF 1,001

$1.19 COP 3,740

-42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 RWF 1,178

$1.16 COP 3,640

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 RWF 2,969

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.26 RWF 15.0K

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-28.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 RWF 1,317

$1.58 COP 4,978

-43.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 RWF 2,345

$2.83 COP 8,889

-43.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 RWF 4,070

$1.28 COP 4,038

117.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 RWF 2,918

$2.09 COP 6,576

-4.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 RWF 5,007

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-60.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RWF 2,624

$1.30 COP 4,080

37.69%

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

$26.1K RWF 38.3M

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-5.61%

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

$30.1K RWF 44.1M

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-15.29%

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

$85.2 RWF 124.9K

$176 COP 553.4K

-51.62%

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

$7.12 RWF 10.4K

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-46.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.95 RWF 30.7K

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-29.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.39 RWF 4,969

$6.20 COP 19.5K

-45.32%

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

$114 RWF 167.8K

$793 COP 2.5M

-85.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,675 RWF 9.8M

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-25.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.30 RWF 25.4K

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-79.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.37 RWF 22.5K

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-73.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.50 RWF 33.0K

$136 COP 428.4K

-83.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.35 RWF 48.9K

$103 COP 324.1K

-67.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

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 Byumba: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Byumba versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $303 – 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 316% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $619 per month in Byumba and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Byumba and $48.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 104% 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 $413, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $413 versus $1,716 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.