Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bečej Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bečej

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $929 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,382 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,834 in Bečej.

Living in Medellin is roughly 11% more expensive than Bečej, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bečej 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.87 RSD 689

-13.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$35.07 RSD 3,518

-6.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$9.81 RSD 984

-26.61%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.17 RSD 117

45.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.45 RSD 145

-24.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.83 RSD 82.8

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.51 RSD 152

10.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.92 RSD 193

61.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.01 RSD 101

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.88 RSD 87.8

42.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.46 RSD 146

-4.79%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.18 RSD 218

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.14 RSD 917

-52.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.10 RSD 712

-17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.47 RSD 749

18.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.02 RSD 102

119.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.95 RSD 196

-44.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.57 RSD 157

-2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.93 RSD 193

-29.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.66 RSD 66.5

71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.36 RSD 36.26

211.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.66 RSD 66.6

28.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 RSD 56.2

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$4.06 RSD 407

-42.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$4.05 RSD 406

174.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.71 RSD 71.5

67.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$0.95 RSD 95.7

149.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.94 RSD 94.0

-15.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$28.25 RSD 2,835

45.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$2.01 RSD 202

-28.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.74 RSD 74.6

158.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.79 RSD 982

-18.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.80 RSD 181

-47.78%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$31.0K RSD 3.1M

-42.17%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.5K RSD 2.7M

1.29%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$64.3 RSD 6,446

30.68%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.80 RSD 983

-2.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$23.80 RSD 2,388

1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$30.98 RSD 3,109

-16.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$16.65 RSD 1,670

14.35%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$7.82 RSD 785

-49.87%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$446 RSD 44.8K

-31.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$5,096 RSD 511.3K

16.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$102 RSD 10.2K

-43.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.70 RSD 4,284

-25.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$65.0 RSD 6,521

53.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$118 RSD 11.8K

-8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$376 RSD 37.7K

29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$299 RSD 30.0K

23.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$568 RSD 57.0K

45.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$412 RSD 41.3K

74.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,222 RSD 222.9K

31.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,387 RSD 139.2K

1.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$540 RSD 54.2K

1.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.59

140.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bečej: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $376 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 1% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Bečej. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $177, with Bečej cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bečej: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bečej is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $376 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $929 in Bečej – a 11% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bečej runs roughly 46% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $929 in Bečej versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bečej but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bečej the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bečej 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 Bečej 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 Bečej gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.