Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bac Giang Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bac Giang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $697 in Bac Giang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,080 in Bac Giang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,462 in Bac Giang.

Living in Medellin is roughly 48% more expensive than in Bac Giang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bac Giang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.95 ₫51.4K

215.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$15.04 ₫395.5K

116.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.68 ₫123.1K

56.84%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.32 ₫34.7K

30.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.34 ₫9,049

208.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.20 ₫5,255

285.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$0.52 ₫13.7K

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$0.92 ₫24.2K

244.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.41 ₫37.1K

-25.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.99 ₫25.9K

31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.84 ₫22.1K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.57 ₫41.3K

37.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.15 ₫240.5K

-52.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.86 ₫101.5K

52.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$9.31 ₫244.8K

-7.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$3.33 ₫87.6K

-31.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.07 ₫28.1K

3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.57 ₫41.2K

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.13 ₫29.7K

19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.07 ₫28.0K

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.04 ₫27.4K

8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.55 ₫14.5K

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 ₫14.9K

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.38 ₫36.3K

69.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.48 ₫354.5K

-8.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.61 ₫16.0K

96.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.84 ₫48.3K

35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.34 ₫8,967

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$6.43 ₫169.1K

530.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.32 ₫8,464

343.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.57 ₫15.1K

236.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$1.67 ₫43.9K

358.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.89 ₫23.4K

11.24%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$38.9K ₫1.0B

-53.62%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.8K ₫834.8M

-16.14%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$58.4 ₫1.5M

38.33%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.14 ₫135.2K

93.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$8.53 ₫224.2K

183.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$21.64 ₫569.0K

15.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.83 ₫205.9K

144.57%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.80 ₫100.0K

4.74%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$271 ₫7.1M

12.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$11.5K ₫303.3M

-47.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$44.76 ₫1.2M

29.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$23.14 ₫608.4K

39.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$90.2 ₫2.4M

11.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$72.7 ₫1.9M

48.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$222 ₫5.8M

114.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$246 ₫6.5M

53.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$687 ₫18.1M

22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$467 ₫12.3M

56.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,836 ₫74.6M

13.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,282 ₫33.7M

7.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$211 ₫5.5M

192.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bac Giang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $222 in Bac Giang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 192% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $15.00 in Bac Giang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $191 per month, with Bac Giang 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

Medellin vs Bac Giang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bac Giang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 192% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $222 in Bac Giang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 1% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Giang – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $697 in Bac Giang versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bac Giang but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bac Giang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bac Giang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bac Giang are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bac Giang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.