Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belvaux Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Belvaux

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $181 in Belvaux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $222 in Belvaux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $263 in Belvaux.

Living in Medellin is roughly 779% more expensive than in Belvaux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Belvaux is 87% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 149.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.2K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,326

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

$1.75 COP 5,614

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,241

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.8K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,519

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,818

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,218

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,038

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 29.8K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,744

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,804

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,216

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,124

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,188

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,677

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,043

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,110

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,226

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,751

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 240.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,077

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,566

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,067

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

$26.8K COP 85.8M

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

$34.4K COP 110.2M

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

$162 COP 519.6K

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

$13.12 COP 42.0K

$88.5 €78.9

-85.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.0K

$87.5 €78.0

-67.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 142.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.5K

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

$764 COP 2.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 272.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 184.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 422.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 306.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 1.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$6,044 €5,387

-89.64%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Belvaux: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Belvaux pays 865% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Belvaux: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belvaux wins on cost – living expenses run 779% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Belvaux the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 865% lower in Belvaux. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

At $181 in Belvaux versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Belvaux but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Belvaux the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Belvaux delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $181 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Belvaux hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Belvaux are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Belvaux gentler on the wallet – expenses run 779% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.