Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banepa Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Banepa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $454 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $729 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,004 in Banepa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 121% more expensive than in Banepa, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Banepa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.85 NPR 282

219.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$18.75 NPR 2,861

75.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.57 NPR 1,002

13.09%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.85 NPR 282

-10.81%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.54 NPR 82.4

103.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.18 NPR 26.77

333.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.56 NPR 391

-32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.58 NPR 547

-11.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.87 NPR 132

26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.56 NPR 84.8

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.95 NPR 145

45.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.84 NPR 281

18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$9.01 NPR 1,375

-50.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.24 NPR 494

78.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.96 NPR 910

50.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.28 NPR 348

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.06 NPR 161

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.25 NPR 191

21.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.66 NPR 101

106.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.52 NPR 79.3

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.68 NPR 104

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.49 NPR 74.5

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.25 NPR 37.97

260.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.99 NPR 456

-25.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.85 NPR 1,351

36.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$2.28 NPR 349

-47.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$3.32 NPR 506

-25.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.18 NPR 26.79

372.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$2.13 NPR 325

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.10 NPR 168

77.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.54 NPR 540

122.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.27 NPR 194

-22.05%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.1K NPR 4.9M

-45.10%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$40.9K NPR 6.2M

-34.54%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$33.59 NPR 5,127

147.13%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$4.99 NPR 762

94.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$9.90 NPR 1,511

137.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$17.87 NPR 2,728

41.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$3.21 NPR 490

23.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$92.2 NPR 14.1K

242.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$3,703 NPR 565.2K

61.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$25.17 NPR 3,842

138.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$27.89 NPR 4,256

14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$57.9 NPR 8,841

75.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$39.91 NPR 6,091

169.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$107 NPR 16.3K

345.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$64.7 NPR 9,876

477.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$209 NPR 31.9K

306.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$146 NPR 22.3K

392.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.08

11.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Banepa: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $107 in Banepa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $19.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $156 per month, with Banepa 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 Banepa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banepa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $681 in Banepa to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $107 in Banepa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $454 in Banepa – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $454 in Banepa versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Banepa but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Banepa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Banepa 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 Banepa 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 Banepa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.