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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $711 in Bac Giang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,095 in Bac Giang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,480 in Bac Giang.

Living in Medellin is roughly 42% more expensive than Bac Giang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bac Giang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.89 ₫49.6K

216.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$15.63 ₫410.8K

110.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.68 ₫122.9K

51.50%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.30 ₫34.1K

31.54%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.37 ₫9,774

197.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.22 ₫5,790

254.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.53 ₫13.9K

216.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$0.91 ₫23.8K

237.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.38 ₫36.3K

-21.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.94 ₫24.6K

34.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.90 ₫23.7K

53.33%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.50 ₫39.4K

46.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.32 ₫244.9K

-52.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.77 ₫99.0K

49.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$9.35 ₫245.7K

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.33 ₫87.4K

-29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.06 ₫27.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.60 ₫42.0K

-6.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.08 ₫28.3K

27.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.07 ₫28.1K

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.06 ₫27.8K

9.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.56 ₫14.6K

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.53 ₫14.0K

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.36 ₫35.8K

67.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.37 ₫351.3K

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.57 ₫14.9K

110.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.83 ₫48.0K

34.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.35 ₫9,087

145.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$6.45 ₫169.4K

541.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.32 ₫8,412

359.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.62 ₫16.3K

216.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.65 ₫43.3K

369.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.90 ₫23.7K

5.56%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$38.1K ₫1.0B

-52.37%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.8K ₫834.4M

-16.60%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$56.8 ₫1.5M

44.83%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.18 ₫136.0K

83.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$8.66 ₫227.6K

179.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$21.32 ₫560.2K

21.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$7.72 ₫202.9K

146.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.93 ₫103.3K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$261 ₫6.9M

18.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$11.5K ₫302.5M

-48.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$44.14 ₫1.2M

32.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$23.10 ₫606.8K

40.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$90.4 ₫2.4M

13.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$72.9 ₫1.9M

48.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$219 ₫5.8M

116.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$252 ₫6.6M

50.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$675 ₫17.7M

24.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$458 ₫12.0M

57.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$3,857 ₫101.3M

-27.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,524 ₫40.0M

-20.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$212 ₫5.6M

140.87%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bac Giang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $219 in Bac Giang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 141% 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 $16.00 in Bac Giang. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $190, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 141% more on average, 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: $476 in Medellin versus $219 in Bac Giang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 1% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Bac Giang – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $711 in Bac Giang versus $1,013 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 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.