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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $892 in Bečej.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,356 in Bečej.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,819 in Bečej.

Living in Medellin is roughly 88% more expensive than in Bečej, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bečej is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$6.91 RSD 704

16.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$34.92 RSD 3,558

37.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$9.96 RSD 1,015

-0.70%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.18 RSD 120

165.25%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.46 RSD 149

30.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.83 RSD 84.2

81.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.53 RSD 156

103.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.01 RSD 205

186.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.96 RSD 98.2

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.19 RSD 121

109.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.51 RSD 154

17.22%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.11 RSD 215

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.17 RSD 934

9.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$7.02 RSD 716

44.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.52 RSD 767

90.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.01 RSD 103

309.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.93 RSD 197

-16.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.54 RSD 157

46.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.94 RSD 198

15.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.68 RSD 69.1

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.34 RSD 34.40

352.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.67 RSD 68.6

74.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.57 RSD 58.2

129.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.88 RSD 395

0.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$4.03 RSD 411

247.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.72 RSD 73.1

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.02 RSD 104

181.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.90 RSD 91.8

35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$2.03 RSD 207

-35.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.83 RSD 84.2

163.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$9.84 RSD 1,003

-11.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.92 RSD 195

-28.65%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$32.2K RSD 3.3M

-13.57%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$25.7K RSD 2.6M

39.26%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$65.0 RSD 6,621

172.85%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.99 RSD 1,018

38.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$23.48 RSD 2,393

26.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$30.28 RSD 3,085

48.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$13.86 RSD 1,412

23.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$8.79 RSD 896

-24.35%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$418 RSD 42.6K

94.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$11.8K RSD 1.2M

-21.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$111 RSD 11.3K

-19.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$49.43 RSD 5,036

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$65.0 RSD 6,623

112.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$121 RSD 12.3K

-15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$322 RSD 32.8K

229.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$271 RSD 27.6K

144.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$455 RSD 46.3K

315.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$387 RSD 39.4K

165.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,177 RSD 221.8K

92.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,548 RSD 157.7K

8.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$550 RSD 56.1K

23.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

4.64

135.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bečej: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $322 in Bečej. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 23% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $35.00 in Bečej for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $180 per month, with Bečej 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 Bečej: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bečej is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 23% higher in Medellin, 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $322 in Bečej. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $892 in Bečej – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $892 in Bečej versus $1,681 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 88% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.