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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $604 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $986 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,367 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Bac Ninh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bac Ninh 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.16 ₫30.5K

412.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$26.98 ₫708.3K

23.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$2.59 ₫67.9K

179.15%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.14 ₫29.9K

42.98%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.26 ₫6,766

319.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.17 ₫4,535

329.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$0.66 ₫17.2K

163.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$0.93 ₫24.4K

247.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.43 ₫37.6K

-26.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.96 ₫25.3K

34.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.92 ₫24.1K

43.48%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.54 ₫40.5K

47.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.99 ₫235.9K

-51.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.73 ₫98.0K

57.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.57 ₫251.1K

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.38 ₫88.6K

-33.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.06 ₫27.8K

0.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.66 ₫43.5K

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.08 ₫28.4K

31.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.07 ₫28.1K

9.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.05 ₫27.7K

11.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.56 ₫14.7K

58.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.57 ₫14.9K

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.33 ₫34.8K

69.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$13.11 ₫344.2K

-15.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.89 ₫23.4K

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.74 ₫45.7K

36.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.34 ₫8,949

147.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$6.66 ₫174.8K

529.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.80 ₫21.0K

76.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.58 ₫15.1K

227.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.60 ₫42.1K

384.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.89 ₫23.4K

13.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$38.0K ₫997.1M

-53.72%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.9K ₫836.5M

-16.86%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$77.8 ₫2.0M

7.52%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$5.19 ₫136.3K

82.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$6.88 ₫180.6K

250.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$11.34 ₫297.6K

123.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$7.44 ₫195.4K

157.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.16 ₫82.9K

29.75%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$265 ₫6.9M

17.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,450 ₫169.3M

-7.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$43.84 ₫1.2M

32.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$22.99 ₫603.6K

41.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$89.5 ₫2.3M

11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$73.3 ₫1.9M

48.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$270 ₫7.1M

78.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$153 ₫4.0M

148.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$575 ₫15.1M

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$351 ₫9.2M

106.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,624 ₫42.6M

74.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$763 ₫20.0M

60.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$370 ₫9.7M

46.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.1

47.58%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $270 in Bac Ninh. 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 46% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Bac Ninh. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $192 in Bac Ninh – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ninh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 68% more than Bac Ninh, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $906 in Bac Ninh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bac Ninh, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $604 in Bac Ninh. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 530% less in Bac Ninh. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $604, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Bac Ninh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bac Ninh costs $604 versus $1,017 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bac Ninh. 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.