Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bella Vista

For one person, living is cheaper in Bella Vista: $189 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,614

/mo nomad

Bella Vista

🇵🇾 Paraguay

$189

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bella Vista

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bella Vista actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $189 in Bella Vista, rent included.

Medellin $1,614
Bella Vista $189

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $307 in Bella Vista, rent included.

Medellin $2,402
Bella Vista $307

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $425 in Bella Vista, rent included.

Medellin $3,190
Bella Vista $425

Medellin costs about 755% more than Bella Vista, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Bella Vista is 86% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.93 COP 25.2K

$1.97 ₲11.2K

302.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.13 COP 146.3K

$13.31 ₲75.7K

246.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$3.11 COP 9,866

$1.94 ₲11.0K

60.31%

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

$1.83 COP 5,800

$0.99 ₲5,611

84.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,360

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 COP 9,672

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 COP 17.4K

$1.51 ₲8,613

264.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 COP 4,600

$0.83 ₲4,737

74.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.36 COP 7,496

$0.49 ₲2,760

381.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,328

$0.99 ₲5,611

69.70%

Eggs

$2.86 COP 9,077

$2.14 ₲12.2K

33.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.3K

$5.99 ₲34.0K

70.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 COP 30.2K

$2.98 ₲16.9K

219.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 COP 44.5K

Apples (1kg)

$4.07 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,742

$0.72 ₲4,087

108.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 COP 6,891

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 COP 7,310

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 COP 6,113

Onion (1kg)

$1.64 COP 5,196

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 COP 3,571

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,954

$1.02 ₲5,775

22.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 COP 12.6K

$1.02 ₲5,801

291.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 COP 42.3K

$4.90 ₲27.8K

172.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 COP 5,384

$0.78 ₲4,423

117.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 7,525

$1.75 ₲9,962

35.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.21 COP 3,827

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.5 COP 242.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 COP 4,179

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.14 COP 6,774

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.47 COP 26.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

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

$28.0K COP 88.7M

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

$35.4K COP 112.3M

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

$172 COP 545.6K

$18.27 ₲103.9K

841.93%

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

$13.37 COP 42.4K

$12.15 ₲69.1K

10.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.73 COP 91.1K

$20.19 ₲114.8K

42.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.24 COP 143.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.04 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 COP 19.9K

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

$770 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,011 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 COP 274.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 COP 181.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 432.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 310.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,892 COP 6.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,059 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$652 COP 2.1M

$375 ₲2.1M

74.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bella Vista: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$616 38.2%

Bella Vista

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$295 18.3%

Bella Vista

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$214 13.3%

Bella Vista

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$170 10.5%

Bella Vista

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$168 10.4%

Bella Vista

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.8%

Bella Vista

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.6%

Bella Vista

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 74% higher in Medellin, 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $13.00 in Bella Vista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $92.0 – making Bella Vista the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇵🇾 Bella Vista

🕒 Local time

02:12 2:12 AM

04:12 4:12 AM

2 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

5,653

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Paraguayan Guarani PYG ₲

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD

10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PYG, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Paraguayan Guarani exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5,686 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.76 USD). 1 EUR = 6,393 PYG (10,000 PYG = 1.56 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Bella Vista 3,780 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Bella Vista

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bella Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 755% more than Bella Vista, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $283 in Bella Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $189 in Bella Vista. That's a gap of about 755%.

Groceries cost about 219% 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 Bella Vista, where all-in costs run around $189, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Bella Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bella Vista costs $189 versus $1,614 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 Bella Vista. 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.