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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,071 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,577 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,083 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 23% lower, Békéscsaba 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$5.84 Ft 1,818

1.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$40.92 Ft 12.7K

-18.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$8.42 Ft 2,621

-13.90%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.02 Ft 629

-15.35%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$0.84 Ft 261

29.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.87 Ft 272

-11.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.92 Ft 598

-8.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$1.17 Ft 365

171.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.02 Ft 317

3.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.47 Ft 458

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.77 Ft 552

-22.03%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.71 Ft 844

-18.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.48 Ft 2,637

-46.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$6.02 Ft 1,872

-3.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$12.33 Ft 3,836

-27.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.40 Ft 436

63.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.98 Ft 615

-46.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.47 Ft 456

2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.75 Ft 545

-22.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.03 Ft 319

12.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.12 Ft 347

4.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.59 Ft 185

40.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.59 Ft 185

44.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$6.94 Ft 2,159

-66.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$3.15 Ft 981

252.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$0.70 Ft 218

64.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$0.84 Ft 262

194.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$1.16 Ft 361

-31.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$25.39 Ft 7,899

64.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$2.62 Ft 814

-45.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.16 Ft 362

63.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.72 Ft 1,779

34.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.75 Ft 545

-41.14%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$24.6K Ft 7.6M

-28.00%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$34.2K Ft 10.6M

-20.97%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$175 Ft 54.5K

-53.54%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$26.28 Ft 8,177

-64.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$19.73 Ft 6,139

20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$46.99 Ft 14.6K

-44.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$16.97 Ft 5,280

13.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$7.09 Ft 2,207

-42.88%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$326 Ft 101.6K

-4.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$3,391 Ft 1.1M

78.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$54.4 Ft 16.9K

8.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$26.80 Ft 8,339

22.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$62.7 Ft 19.5K

60.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$66.0 Ft 20.5K

61.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$454 Ft 141.2K

7.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$344 Ft 107.1K

7.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$631 Ft 196.4K

32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$542 Ft 168.5K

31.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,620 Ft 504.0K

82.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,230 Ft 382.6K

13.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$1,442 Ft 448.8K

-63.12%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $454 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 171% 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 in Medellin versus $41 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $195 – 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,607 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 $41.00 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 $1,030, than in Békéscsaba at $1,071. 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 $1,030 versus $1,071 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.