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 $1,618 per month in Medellin vs $450 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,460 per month in Medellin vs $741 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,302 per month in Medellin vs $1,031 in Bac Ninh, rent included.

Medellin costs about 259% more than Bac Ninh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Bac Ninh is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.2K

$1.11 ₫29.1K

592.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 136.5K

$21.02 ₫550.8K

105.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.0K

$2.50 ₫65.4K

280.00%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,857

$1.11 ₫29.0K

153.15%

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

$1.84 COP 5,786

$0.26 ₫6,772

607.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,751

$0.20 ₫5,181

655.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,723

$0.66 ₫17.3K

366.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.3K

$0.91 ₫23.9K

503.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,238

$1.45 ₫38.0K

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,268

$0.93 ₫24.5K

148.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,632

$0.79 ₫20.8K

86.08%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,473

$1.42 ₫37.2K

89.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.0K

$10.28 ₫269.3K

-13.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 33.5K

$3.83 ₫100.4K

177.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 45.6K

$9.80 ₫256.7K

47.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$3.19 ₫83.5K

17.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,372

$1.13 ₫29.5K

23.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,005

$1.38 ₫36.3K

60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,243

$1.13 ₫29.5K

75.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,478

$0.87 ₫22.9K

135.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,044

$1.07 ₫28.1K

49.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,284

$0.64 ₫16.7K

62.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,000

$0.51 ₫13.2K

149.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 11.8K

$1.36 ₫35.6K

175.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.3K

$13.39 ₫351.0K

-2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,970

$0.93 ₫24.3K

69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,518

$1.67 ₫43.6K

80.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,682

$0.39 ₫10.3K

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,738

$0.75 ₫19.6K

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$0.55 ₫14.3K

280.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.5K

$2.25 ₫59.0K

260.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 3,980

$0.88 ₫23.0K

43.18%

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

$26.9K COP 84.8M

$30.0K ₫786.4M

-10.36%

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

$34.9K COP 110.0M

$30.4K ₫797.5M

14.61%

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

$148 COP 467.6K

$78.2 ₫2.0M

89.75%

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

$13.03 COP 41.1K

$5.35 ₫140.1K

143.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 99.2K

$6.90 ₫180.7K

356.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 143.4K

$11.19 ₫293.3K

306.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 53.6K

$7.77 ₫203.6K

119.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 19.9K

$3.01 ₫79.0K

109.97%

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

$837 COP 2.6M

$681 ₫17.9M

22.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.3M

$12.3K ₫321.3M

-29.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 279.9K

$49.99 ₫1.3M

77.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 173.2K

$25.98 ₫680.9K

111.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 423.9K

$81.8 ₫2.1M

64.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 341.5K

$83.2 ₫2.2M

30.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$692 ₫18.1M

35.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.5M

$1,633 ₫42.8M

122.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 4.9M

$774 ₫20.3M

100.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

$366 ₫9.6M

71.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

8.45

23.43%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Bac Ninh: August 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $939 in Medellin versus $692 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 71% 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 $43.00 in Medellin versus $21.00 in Bac Ninh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $194 – 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 259% 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 $2,427 per month in Medellin and $676 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 $43.00 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 50% 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 $450, than in Medellin at $1,618. 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 $450 versus $1,618 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.