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 $1,656 per month in Medellin vs $464 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Medellin vs $734 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,216 per month in Medellin vs $1,005 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 257% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bac Ninh is 66% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 25.4K

$1.13 ₫29.3K

581.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.79 COP 157.4K

$21.30 ₫553.2K

124.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 COP 30.6K

$2.60 ₫67.4K

258.08%

Cappuccino

$3.02 COP 9,944

$1.12 ₫29.0K

169.64%

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

$1.79 COP 5,903

$0.26 ₫6,729

588.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,933

$0.20 ₫5,324

650.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.7K

$0.71 ₫18.6K

357.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.9K

$0.93 ₫24.3K

517.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,689

$1.47 ₫38.2K

-3.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 8,301

$1.10 ₫28.5K

129.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,508

$0.75 ₫19.5K

122.67%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,290

$1.50 ₫38.9K

88.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 COP 33.8K

$10.48 ₫272.1K

-2.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 COP 31.2K

$3.74 ₫97.2K

153.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 COP 45.8K

$10.10 ₫262.2K

37.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 COP 13.6K

$3.18 ₫82.6K

29.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 5,126

$1.06 ₫27.4K

47.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,274

$1.33 ₫34.6K

66.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,444

$1.14 ₫29.6K

98.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,542

$0.97 ₫25.3K

105.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,860

$1.13 ₫29.3K

30.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,778

$0.55 ₫14.3K

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,093

$0.55 ₫14.3K

125.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 13.0K

$1.43 ₫37.1K

176.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 COP 44.9K

$12.64 ₫328.4K

7.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,511

$0.93 ₫24.2K

79.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 COP 9,044

$1.67 ₫43.5K

64.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,847

$0.36 ₫9,395

225.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 COP 261.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,212

$0.76 ₫19.7K

68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 COP 7,117

$0.59 ₫15.4K

266.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 COP 27.3K

$2.28 ₫59.1K

263.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,443

$0.89 ₫23.1K

51.69%

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

$27.4K COP 90.2M

$31.0K ₫803.9M

-11.50%

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

$36.0K COP 118.7M

$31.0K ₫804.0M

16.39%

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

$173 COP 570.1K

$84.6 ₫2.2M

104.62%

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

$13.73 COP 45.2K

$5.04 ₫131.0K

172.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 COP 93.3K

$7.08 ₫183.9K

300.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.27 COP 145.8K

$11.65 ₫302.6K

280.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 COP 54.8K

$7.89 ₫204.9K

110.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 COP 21.7K

$3.14 ₫81.5K

109.55%

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

$799 COP 2.6M

$685 ₫17.8M

16.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,089 COP 29.9M

$12.3K ₫319.3M

-26.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 COP 289.4K

$47.47 ₫1.2M

85.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 192.6K

$25.67 ₫666.6K

127.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 455.6K

$83.2 ₫2.2M

66.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 COP 321.0K

$82.1 ₫2.1M

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.4M

$698 ₫18.1M

47.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 COP 6.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 COP 3.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,108 COP 13.5M

$1,660 ₫43.1M

147.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.5M

$761 ₫19.8M

120.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 COP 2.1M

$372 ₫9.7M

75.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.45

29.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 22, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,033 in Medellin versus $698 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 75% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Bac Ninh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $196 – making Bac Ninh the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 257% 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 $2,484 per month in Medellin and $695 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $21.00 in Bac Ninh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bac Ninh, where all-in costs run around $464, than in Medellin at $1,656. 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 $464 versus $1,656 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.