Cost of Living Comparison Between Cochabamba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cochabamba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $764 in Cochabamba versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Cochabamba versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,605 in Cochabamba versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Cochabamba costs roughly 26% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cochabamba 43% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.97 BOB 31.59

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-51.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.57 BOB 187

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-46.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 BOB 75.9

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-3.00%

Cappuccino

$2.57 BOB 27.35

$1.72 COP 5,600

49.42%

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

$0.68 BOB 7.21

$1.05 COP 3,420

-35.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 BOB 6.60

$0.77 COP 2,515

-19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 BOB 19.03

$1.69 COP 5,488

5.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BOB 34.86

$3.17 COP 10.3K

3.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 BOB 11.55

$1.05 COP 3,423

2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 BOB 15.54

$1.30 COP 4,236

12.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 BOB 16.14

$1.40 COP 4,544

8.57%

Eggs

$1.74 BOB 18.53

$2.16 COP 7,047

-19.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.80 BOB 51.1

$4.39 COP 14.3K

9.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.47 BOB 36.93

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-40.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.28 BOB 77.5

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-15.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 BOB 26.28

$2.28 COP 7,426

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 BOB 10.97

$1.11 COP 3,604

-7.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 BOB 20.00

$1.53 COP 4,983

22.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 BOB 17.42

$1.35 COP 4,410

21.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 BOB 18.75

$1.13 COP 3,674

55.75%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 BOB 10.17

$1.13 COP 3,692

-15.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 BOB 12.77

$0.85 COP 2,753

41.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 BOB 10.65

$0.91 COP 2,975

9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 BOB 27.39

$2.34 COP 7,630

9.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.42 BOB 89.6

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 BOB 23.82

$1.20 COP 3,909

86.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 BOB 39.35

$2.49 COP 8,104

48.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BOB 3.20

$0.84 COP 2,728

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 BOB 15.76

$1.42 COP 4,623

4.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 BOB 15.81

$1.92 COP 6,235

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 BOB 78.5

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-3.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 BOB 5.73

$0.99 COP 3,223

-45.45%

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

$22.5K BOB 239.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

24.83%

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

$18.3K BOB 194.8K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-31.32%

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

$46.48 BOB 495

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-42.48%

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

$22.52 BOB 240

$9.95 COP 32.4K

126.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.80 BOB 509

$24.18 COP 78.7K

97.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.80 BOB 498

$25.08 COP 81.7K

86.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 BOB 175

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-14.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 BOB 53.1

$3.98 COP 13.0K

25.13%

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

$250 BOB 2,667

$305 COP 993.5K

-17.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,418 BOB 47.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-27.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.07 BOB 437

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-29.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.91 BOB 510

$32.20 COP 104.8K

48.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 BOB 758

$101 COP 327.9K

-29.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.7 BOB 1,009

$108 COP 350.8K

-12.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 BOB 3,256

$477 COP 1.6M

-35.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 BOB 2,039

$376 COP 1.2M

-49.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 BOB 5,265

$845 COP 2.7M

-41.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 BOB 3,946

$730 COP 2.4M

-49.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,211 BOB 12.9K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-62.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$899 BOB 9,570

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-34.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 BOB 5,987

$617 COP 2.0M

-8.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

13.43

-44.15%

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

Last update for Cochabamba: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Cochabamba and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $18.00 in Cochabamba vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $186 vs $193 per month, with Cochabamba 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

Cochabamba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cochabamba and Medellin differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($764 vs $1,031 including rent). Cochabamba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 10% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $306 in Cochabamba versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $764 per month in Cochabamba versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $764 in Cochabamba versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cochabamba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cochabamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cochabamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.