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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,072 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,587 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,101 in Békéscsaba, rent included.

Medellin is about 6% cheaper than Békéscsaba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Békéscsaba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Békéscsaba 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$5.78 Ft 1,782

3.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$40.94 Ft 12.6K

-19.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$8.51 Ft 2,624

-16.69%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,154

$1.98 Ft 611

-13.64%

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

$1.10 COP 3,949

$0.83 Ft 257

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,798

$0.84 Ft 260

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,035

$1.85 Ft 571

-9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.17 Ft 360

162.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,930

$1.01 Ft 313

7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,536

$1.40 Ft 431

-10.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,953

$1.70 Ft 524

-18.82%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,876

$2.70 Ft 832

-18.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$8.76 Ft 2,700

-49.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$6.17 Ft 1,902

-8.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$12.36 Ft 3,812

-28.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,401

$1.43 Ft 440

63.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,801

$1.97 Ft 608

-46.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,408

$1.40 Ft 432

7.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.77 Ft 545

-22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,137

$1.02 Ft 315

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,181

$1.18 Ft 363

-1.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,202

$0.60 Ft 186

48.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.56 Ft 172

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,196

$6.93 Ft 2,137

-67.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$3.18 Ft 979

234.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,311

$0.70 Ft 217

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,880

$0.85 Ft 262

190.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

$1.12 Ft 345

-23.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$24.89 Ft 7,673

66.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,297

$2.65 Ft 817

-44.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,053

$1.13 Ft 347

73.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$5.72 Ft 1,763

35.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,430

$1.69 Ft 520

-43.79%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$24.8K Ft 7.6M

-26.85%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$33.9K Ft 10.5M

-21.94%

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

$82.3 COP 295.6K

$173 Ft 53.3K

-52.43%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$26.88 Ft 8,288

-64.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$19.98 Ft 6,161

21.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$46.42 Ft 14.3K

-44.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$17.01 Ft 5,245

11.70%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$7.34 Ft 2,262

-46.46%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$336 Ft 103.6K

-7.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$3,470 Ft 1.1M

71.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$54.9 Ft 16.9K

6.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.2K

$27.50 Ft 8,478

17.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.7K

$63.6 Ft 19.6K

61.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$67.3 Ft 20.8K

61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$455 Ft 140.2K

4.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$348 Ft 107.2K

8.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$627 Ft 193.3K

33.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$541 Ft 166.7K

33.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,625 Ft 501.0K

71.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$1,243 Ft 383.2K

-2.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,453 Ft 448.0K

-64.78%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Békéscsaba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $455 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 184% 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 $41.00 in Békéscsaba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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 6% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,608 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 4% 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 $1,013, than in Békéscsaba at $1,072. 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 $1,013 versus $1,072 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.