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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $325 in Banepa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $534 in Banepa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $743 in Banepa.

Living in Medellin is roughly 418% more expensive than in Banepa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Banepa is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$1.99 NPR 305

303.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$20.40 NPR 3,129

134.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.72 NPR 1,032

47.17%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.35 NPR 207

131.85%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.56 NPR 85.5

241.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.14 NPR 21.67

978.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.70 NPR 415

15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$3.66 NPR 561

57.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.44 NPR 68.2

227.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.64 NPR 98.2

289.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$0.30 NPR 46.69

490.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.39 NPR 213

112.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$2.88 NPR 442

249.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.22 NPR 494

214.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$1.60 NPR 245

793.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.11 NPR 324

96.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.10 NPR 168

46.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.38 NPR 57.9

492.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.34 NPR 52.2

561.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.25 NPR 37.97

716.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.34 NPR 52.9

352.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.49 NPR 74.5

138.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.25 NPR 38.38

424.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$1.98 NPR 303

96.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$7.98 NPR 1,225

75.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$0.99 NPR 152

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.51 NPR 231

90.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$29.76 NPR 4,565

170.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$2.00 NPR 307

-34.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$1.27 NPR 196

72.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$3.30 NPR 506

163.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.39 NPR 214

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$29.8K NPR 4.6M

-6.54%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$36.6K NPR 5.6M

-2.15%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$32.00 NPR 4,909

454.06%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$3.40 NPR 522

308.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$8.00 NPR 1,228

271.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$2.94 NPR 450

126.19%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$65.7 NPR 10.1K

1137.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$4,706 NPR 721.9K

95.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$26.75 NPR 4,104

234.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$28.15 NPR 4,318

109.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$67.5 NPR 10.3K

104.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$29.64 NPR 4,546

244.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.72

12.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Banepa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $20.00 in Banepa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $98.0 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 418% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $487 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 211% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banepa – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $325 in Banepa versus $1,681 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 418% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.