Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chittagong and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Chittagong: $371 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Chittagong
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
$371
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chittagong and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chittagong and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $371 per month in Chittagong vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Chittagong $371
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $626 per month in Chittagong vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Chittagong $626
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $881 per month in Chittagong vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Chittagong $881
  • Medellin $3,190

Chittagong is about 77% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Chittagong sits 73% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08 ৳257
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-73.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.17 ৳1,503
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-73.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.37 ৳664
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-43.47%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.62 ৳323
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.18 ৳516
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.94 ৳239
$3.11 COP 9,866
-37.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40 ৳48.92
$1.83 COP 5,800
-78.14%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.11 ৳13.77
$1.38 COP 4,360
-92.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.05 COP 9,672
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.75 ৳93.0
$1.45 COP 4,600
-48.28%
White Bread (500g)
$0.60 ৳73.9
$2.36 COP 7,496
-74.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.63 ৳77.6
$1.68 COP 5,328
-62.50%
Eggs
$1.16 ৳144
$2.86 COP 9,077
-59.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.21 ৳891
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-29.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.03 ৳251
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-78.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.22 ৳892
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-48.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.35 ৳291
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-42.26%
Banana (1kg)
$0.84 ৳104
$1.50 COP 4,742
-44.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.06 ৳255
$2.17 COP 6,891
-5.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.86 ৳106
$2.31 COP 7,310
-62.77%
Potato (1kg)
$0.44 ৳54.3
$1.93 COP 6,113
-77.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.78 ৳96.9
$1.64 COP 5,196
-52.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.49 ৳60.7
$1.13 COP 3,571
-56.64%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.32 ৳39.89
$1.25 COP 3,954
-74.40%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$4.38 ৳541
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ৳104
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.48 ৳183
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 ৳376
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-23.81%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.70 COP 5,384
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.37 COP 7,525
-
🚌 Getting Around
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.21 ৳25.83
$1.21 COP 3,827
-82.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.80 ৳98.7
$1.32 COP 4,179
-39.39%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.58 ৳72.1
$2.14 COP 6,774
-72.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.94 ৳487
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-53.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.15 ৳142
$1.30 COP 4,114
-11.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.0K ৳4.0M
$28.0K COP 88.7M
14.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$45.5K ৳5.6M
$35.4K COP 112.3M
28.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$30.32 ৳3,746
$172 COP 545.6K
-82.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.57 ৳689
$13.37 COP 42.4K
-58.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.57 ৳1,553
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-56.25%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$19.87 ৳2,455
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-56.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.88 ৳1,714
$17.04 COP 54.0K
-18.54%
Cinema Ticket
$3.68 ৳455
$6.28 COP 19.9K
-41.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$36.24 ৳4,478
$770 COP 2.4M
-95.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,444 ৳178.4K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-83.98%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.22 ৳2,869
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-73.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$19.79 ৳2,445
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-65.36%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.1 ৳7,053
$137 COP 432.9K
-58.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$34.68 ৳4,285
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-64.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$124 ৳15.3K
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-88.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$60.0 ৳7,418
$616 COP 2.0M
-90.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$268 ৳33.1K
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-85.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$163 ৳20.1K
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-84.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$782 ৳96.7K
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-80.72%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$462 ৳57.1K
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-72.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Chittagong
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$281 ৳34.7K
$652 COP 2.1M
-56.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.5
10.94
5.12%

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

Last update for Chittagong: October 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Chittagong
$112
Medellin
$295 163% $182
Clothing & Footwear
Chittagong
$61
Medellin
$170 181% $109
Accommodation & Living
Chittagong
$60
Medellin
$616 926% $556
Eating Out
Chittagong
$58
Medellin
$168 190% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Chittagong
$48
Medellin
$214 342% $166
Sport & Entertainment
Chittagong
$27
Medellin
$58 112% $31
Getting Around
Chittagong
$4.6 *
Medellin
$93 1951% $89

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $124 in Chittagong versus $1,055 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 132% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chittagong versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $112 vs $295 – making Chittagong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇩 Chittagong
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
01:00 1:00 AM
14:00 2:00 PM
11 h behind Chittagong
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,592,439
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BDT – Bangladeshi Taka Converter

Bangladeshi Taka exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 124 BDT (1,000 BDT = 8.09 USD). 1 EUR = 139 BDT (1,000 BDT = 7.2 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Chittagong Medellin 16,550 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Chittagong
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Chittagong vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Chittagong and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $371 in Chittagong, $1,614 in Medellin – roughly 335% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Chittagong compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $557 per month in Chittagong and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Chittagong and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Chittagong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $12.00 in Chittagong and $46.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 163% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chittagong, where all-in costs run around $371, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Chittagong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Chittagong and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $371 in Chittagong to $1,614 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Chittagong and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. 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.

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