Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belgrade Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belgrade

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,517 in Belgrade, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,312 in Belgrade, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $3,108 in Belgrade, rent included.

Medellin is about 33% cheaper than Belgrade, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Belgrade is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$12.19 RSD 1,228

-50.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$49.60 RSD 4,999

-33.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$11.68 RSD 1,177

-39.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.86 RSD 288

-40.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$2.70 RSD 272

-59.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$2.17 RSD 219

-64.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$3.55 RSD 358

-52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.02 RSD 405

-23.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$1.52 RSD 153

-28.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.92 RSD 92.7

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$3.05 RSD 308

-54.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.85 RSD 288

-23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.46 RSD 1,155

-61.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$7.46 RSD 752

-24.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$12.96 RSD 1,306

-31.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.41 RSD 142

65.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.89 RSD 191

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.96 RSD 198

-23.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.78 RSD 280

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.03 RSD 104

11.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.75 RSD 76.1

54.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.89 RSD 89.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.78 RSD 79.1

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$4.66 RSD 470

-51.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.65 RSD 972

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.87 RSD 87.5

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.51 RSD 153

63.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.98 RSD 98.5

-12.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$3.09 RSD 312

-52.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.90 RSD 90.3

117.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$17.87 RSD 1,801

-56.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.83 RSD 185

-48.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$30.9K RSD 3.1M

-41.40%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-2.12%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$210 RSD 21.1K

-60.77%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$22.09 RSD 2,226

-56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$32.98 RSD 3,324

-26.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$38.57 RSD 3,887

-32.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$20.97 RSD 2,114

-9.39%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.70 RSD 776

-48.96%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$449 RSD 45.3K

-31.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$9,106 RSD 917.7K

-34.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$100 RSD 10.1K

-41.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$42.41 RSD 4,274

-23.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$113 RSD 11.4K

-9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$118 RSD 11.9K

-8.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$852 RSD 85.9K

-44.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$571 RSD 57.5K

-33.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,569 RSD 158.1K

-46.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,024 RSD 103.2K

-29.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$5,218 RSD 525.9K

-46.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,155 RSD 318.0K

-61.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,234 RSD 124.4K

-58.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.59

140.25%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Belgrade: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $852 in Belgrade. 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 141% higher in Belgrade, 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 $50.0 in Belgrade. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $243 – 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 Belgrade: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,517 in Belgrade – roughly 50% apart. Belgrade costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $2,275 in Belgrade. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Belgrade. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% more in Belgrade, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Belgrade at $1,517. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Belgrade it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,517 in Belgrade. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Belgrade makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.