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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,163 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,704 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,245 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 48% more than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Békéscsaba is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$9.81 Ft 3,056

-18.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.0K

$45.43 Ft 14.2K

6.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.6K

$5.85 Ft 1,824

67.01%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,107

$2.21 Ft 689

31.67%

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

$1.94 COP 6,082

$1.45 Ft 453

33.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,760

$0.94 Ft 292

61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,676

$1.10 Ft 342

180.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.0K

$1.28 Ft 400

348.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,267

$1.24 Ft 387

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,470

$1.58 Ft 491

51.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,321

$2.24 Ft 699

-24.11%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,979

$3.44 Ft 1,073

-16.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$10.11 Ft 3,151

-1.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$7.02 Ft 2,188

53.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.1K

$15.02 Ft 4,681

-1.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.08 Ft 648

96.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,917

$2.26 Ft 705

-30.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,651

$1.63 Ft 509

30.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,926

$2.88 Ft 899

-23.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,404

$1.03 Ft 320

99.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,706

$0.98 Ft 306

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,723

$1.08 Ft 336

10.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,623

$0.54 Ft 168

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$8.45 Ft 2,634

-53.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.2K

$3.16 Ft 984

356.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,955

$1.03 Ft 321

53.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,847

$2.13 Ft 663

32.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

$1.28 Ft 400

-8.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,019

$2.84 Ft 886

-54.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,546

$1.39 Ft 432

50.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.0K

$6.48 Ft 2,020

33.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,061

$1.94 Ft 603

-32.99%

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

$27.7K COP 86.5M

$31.4K Ft 9.8M

-12.00%

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

$35.5K COP 111.1M

$35.9K Ft 11.2M

-1.12%

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

$176 COP 550.9K

$173 Ft 54.1K

1.51%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$26.21 Ft 8,169

-48.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.5K

$22.64 Ft 7,057

32.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.0K

$35.28 Ft 11.0K

26.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$9.83 Ft 3,063

-36.93%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$558 Ft 174.0K

42.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$17.1K Ft 5.3M

-47.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.8K

$110 Ft 34.3K

-22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.9K

$31.77 Ft 9,902

84.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 426.4K

$63.6 Ft 19.8K

114.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.6K

$121 Ft 37.6K

-14.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$432 Ft 134.6K

145.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$353 Ft 110.2K

92.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$574 Ft 178.8K

250.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$447 Ft 139.4K

161.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,591 Ft 495.9K

158.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,221 Ft 380.7K

39.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$1,430 Ft 445.7K

-53.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.68

63.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $432 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 115% higher in Békéscsaba, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $238 – making Békéscsaba 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

Medellin costs about 48% more than Békéscsaba, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,744 in Békéscsaba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Békéscsaba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Békéscsaba, where all-in costs run around $1,163, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Békéscsaba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Békéscsaba costs $1,163 versus $1,716 in Medellin. 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 Békéscsaba. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.