Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Békéscsaba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Békéscsaba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,057 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,590 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,122 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Békéscsaba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Békéscsaba 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$5.92 Ft 1,887

0.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$39.91 Ft 12.7K

-17.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$8.83 Ft 2,813

-19.37%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$1.97 Ft 628

-13.20%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.88 Ft 281

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.83 Ft 263

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.90 Ft 606

-9.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$1.14 Ft 362

178.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.01 Ft 323

4.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.43 Ft 456

-8.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.78 Ft 567

-25.28%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$2.73 Ft 870

-16.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$8.83 Ft 2,812

-49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$6.18 Ft 1,970

-4.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$12.68 Ft 4,039

-31.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$1.43 Ft 455

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.97 Ft 626

-44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.45 Ft 462

1.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.69 Ft 538

-18.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$0.99 Ft 315

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$1.18 Ft 375

-0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.56 Ft 177

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.60 Ft 192

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$7.11 Ft 2,264

-67.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$3.18 Ft 1,014

274.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$0.70 Ft 222

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$0.84 Ft 267

188.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$1.17 Ft 373

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$24.70 Ft 7,867

65.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$2.60 Ft 830

-45.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.15 Ft 368

66.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$5.81 Ft 1,851

34.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.69 Ft 538

-44.38%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$24.7K Ft 7.9M

-27.79%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$34.2K Ft 10.9M

-20.76%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$176 Ft 56.0K

-52.61%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$26.78 Ft 8,530

-63.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$19.34 Ft 6,159

25.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$47.69 Ft 15.2K

-47.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$17.10 Ft 5,447

13.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$7.24 Ft 2,308

-43.78%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$326 Ft 104.0K

-6.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$3,392 Ft 1.1M

76.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$55.9 Ft 17.8K

7.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$27.56 Ft 8,778

18.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$63.0 Ft 20.1K

60.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$66.4 Ft 21.1K

62.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$448 Ft 142.7K

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$342 Ft 109.0K

10.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$645 Ft 205.6K

26.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$529 Ft 168.6K

33.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,601 Ft 510.1K

99.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,218 Ft 388.1K

18.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$1,396 Ft 444.8K

-55.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.5

79.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $448 in Békéscsaba. 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 125% higher in Békéscsaba, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $197 – making Medellin 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 Békéscsaba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Békéscsaba costs about 4% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,585 in Békéscsaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 3% more in Békéscsaba, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Békéscsaba at $1,057. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Békéscsaba it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,018 versus $1,057 in Békéscsaba. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Békéscsaba makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.