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: $441 in Cochabamba versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $689 in Cochabamba versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $938 in Cochabamba versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Cochabamba costs roughly 74% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cochabamba is 68% below, Medellin is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.64 BOB 18.82

$8.02 COP 24.9K

-79.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$9.77 BOB 112

$47.87 COP 148.7K

-79.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 BOB 56.3

$9.89 COP 30.7K

-50.25%

Cappuccino

$1.53 BOB 17.47

$3.13 COP 9,725

-51.12%

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

$0.41 BOB 4.67

$1.91 COP 5,929

-78.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BOB 4.52

$1.51 COP 4,692

-74.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 BOB 11.64

$3.12 COP 9,705

-67.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 BOB 19.27

$5.75 COP 17.9K

-70.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.56 BOB 6.45

$1.44 COP 4,490

-61.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.71 BOB 8.13

$2.49 COP 7,726

-71.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 BOB 12.58

$1.77 COP 5,511

-37.85%

Eggs

$1.08 BOB 12.32

$2.96 COP 9,196

-63.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.80 BOB 32.01

$10.07 COP 31.3K

-72.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.13 BOB 24.43

$10.12 COP 31.4K

-78.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 BOB 48.71

$14.30 COP 44.4K

-70.28%

Apples (1kg)

$1.46 BOB 16.75

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-64.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.70 BOB 8.02

$1.61 COP 4,997

-56.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 BOB 12.43

$2.25 COP 6,977

-51.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.91 BOB 10.40

$2.25 COP 6,998

-59.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BOB 10.08

$2.04 COP 6,348

-56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 BOB 7.26

$1.54 COP 4,770

-59.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 BOB 7.36

$1.17 COP 3,636

-45.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 BOB 7.74

$1.31 COP 4,060

-48.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.51 BOB 17.33

$3.90 COP 12.1K

-61.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.12 BOB 58.6

$14.01 COP 43.5K

-63.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 BOB 13.13

$1.74 COP 5,416

-33.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 BOB 21.45

$2.87 COP 8,918

-34.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 BOB 2.98

$1.22 COP 3,776

-78.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 BOB 16.27

$1.31 COP 4,067

8.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 BOB 9.77

$2.19 COP 6,796

-61.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.18 BOB 47.83

$8.71 COP 27.1K

-52.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 BOB 4.99

$1.37 COP 4,241

-67.88%

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

$16.9K BOB 193.4K

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-39.31%

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

$35.8K COP 111.2M

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

$31.06 BOB 356

$177 COP 550.9K

-82.48%

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

$16.73 BOB 192

$13.88 COP 43.1K

20.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.49 BOB 258

$29.72 COP 92.4K

-24.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.65 BOB 248

$44.88 COP 139.5K

-51.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.11 BOB 47.11

$17.12 COP 53.2K

-75.99%

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 BOB 33.79

$6.65 COP 20.6K

-55.64%

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

$107 BOB 1,226

$813 COP 2.5M

-86.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,371 BOB 38.6K

$9,187 COP 28.5M

-63.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.35 BOB 462

$89.5 COP 278.1K

-54.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.69 BOB 237

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-64.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$37.02 BOB 424

$138 COP 429.4K

-73.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.6 BOB 625

$102 COP 317.3K

-46.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 BOB 1,807

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-85.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 BOB 1,151

$663 COP 2.1M

-84.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 BOB 3,463

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-83.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$221 BOB 2,526

$1,027 COP 3.2M

-78.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$852 BOB 9,761

$4,183 COP 13.0M

-79.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$672 BOB 7,692

$1,675 COP 5.2M

-59.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$383 BOB 4,383

$678 COP 2.1M

-43.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.17

10.94

-25.32%

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

Last update for Cochabamba: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Cochabamba and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 77% 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: $10.00 in Cochabamba vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $108 vs $305 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 281% in total monthly costs ($441 vs $1,681 including rent). Cochabamba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 77% 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: $158 in Cochabamba versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 182% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $441 per month in Cochabamba versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 281% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $441 in Cochabamba versus $1,681 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 281% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.