Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,235 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,834 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $2,433 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 18% less than in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, BeliΕ‘Δ‡e 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95 COPΒ 20.8K
$8.31 €7.16
-28.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.33 COPΒ 116.3K
$40.17 €34.61
-17.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.23 COPΒ 25.2K
$6.84 €5.90
5.70%
Cappuccino
$1.63 COPΒ 5,687
$2.05 €1.77
-20.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09 COPΒ 3,821
$2.36 €2.03
-53.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 COPΒ 2,548
$2.01 €1.73
-63.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.74 COPΒ 6,065
$2.38 €2.05
-26.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23 COPΒ 11.3K
$2.35 €2.03
37.45%
πŸ›’ Groceries & Markets
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.05 COPΒ 3,662
$0.92 €0.79
14.13%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 COPΒ 4,515
$0.66 €0.57
95.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.32 COPΒ 4,617
$2.94 €2.53
-55.10%
Eggs
$2.27 COPΒ 7,927
$3.17 €2.73
-28.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.35 COPΒ 15.2K
$10.79 €9.30
-59.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.88 COPΒ 20.5K
$7.43 €6.40
-20.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.61 COPΒ 30.0K
$11.26 €9.70
-23.53%
Apples (1kg)
$2.25 COPΒ 7,844
$1.15 €0.99
95.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.07 COPΒ 3,733
$1.43 €1.23
-25.17%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 COPΒ 5,322
$1.63 €1.41
-6.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.42 COPΒ 4,964
$2.46 €2.12
-42.28%
Potato (1kg)
$1.17 COPΒ 4,084
$0.97 €0.84
20.62%
Onion (1kg)
$1.17 COPΒ 4,077
$1.18 €1.02
-0.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.89 COPΒ 3,096
$1.20 €1.04
-25.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90 COPΒ 3,146
$0.97 €0.84
-7.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 COPΒ 7,837
$5.50 €4.74
-59.09%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.04 COPΒ 38.5K
$7.08 €6.10
55.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 COPΒ 3,977
$1.18 €1.02
-3.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38 COPΒ 8,301
$1.92 €1.66
23.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.84 COPΒ 2,916
$1.72 €1.48
-51.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.95 COPΒ 146.4K
$42.47 €36.59
-1.22%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.41 COPΒ 4,912
$3.71 €3.19
-61.99%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.90 COPΒ 6,634
$1.15 €0.99
65.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.75 COPΒ 27.0K
$5.76 €4.96
34.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.01 COPΒ 3,509
$1.68 €1.44
-39.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6K COPΒ 61.4M
$32.2K €27.7K
-45.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5K COPΒ 92.5M
$27.5K €23.7K
-3.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.7 COPΒ 292.1K
$123 €106
-32.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45 COPΒ 33.0K
$17.63 €15.19
-46.40%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.11 COPΒ 84.1K
$26.57 €22.90
-9.26%
πŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.31 COPΒ 88.3K
$26.03 €22.43
-2.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14 COPΒ 66.8K
$14.48 €12.48
32.18%
Cinema Ticket
$4.10 COPΒ 14.3K
$5.22 €4.50
-21.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$312 COPΒ 1.1M
$349 €301
-10.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,993 COPΒ 20.9M
$2,796 €2,409
114.31%
πŸ‘•πŸ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0 COPΒ 202.6K
$122 €105
-52.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56 COPΒ 113.6K
$42.61 €36.71
-23.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.6 COPΒ 347.7K
$46.03 €39.66
116.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 COPΒ 378.8K
$58.4 €50.4
85.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$482 COPΒ 1.7M
$190 €164
153.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$379 COPΒ 1.3M
$469 €404
-19.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$837 COPΒ 2.9M
$343 €295
144.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$723 COPΒ 2.5M
$775 €668
-6.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,840 COPΒ 9.9M
$4,251 €3,663
-33.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,223 COPΒ 4.3M
$1,189 €1,024
2.88%
πŸ’΅ Salaries & Financials
Medellin
BeliΕ‘Δ‡e
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$541 COPΒ 1.9M
$1,818 €1,566
-70.25%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.43
3.2
319.69%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for BeliΕ‘Δ‡e: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $190 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

BeliΕ‘Δ‡e pays 236% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $40.00 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $222 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 BeliΕ‘Δ‡e: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e?
Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $1,235 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, BeliΕ‘Δ‡e earns 236% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e?
Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $190 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e?
Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $349 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,235 in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Medellin or BeliΕ‘Δ‡e safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and BeliΕ‘Δ‡e are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Medellin or BeliΕ‘Δ‡e?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in BeliΕ‘Δ‡e. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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