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: $1,687 in Medellin versus $184 in Belvaux.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $226 in Belvaux.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $268 in Belvaux.

Living in Medellin is roughly 815% more expensive than in Belvaux, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Belvaux is 87% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

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

$151 COP 463.8K

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$91.1 €77.9

-85.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$91.1 €77.9

-64.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

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

$835 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$6,172 €5,280

-89.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Belvaux: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Belvaux pays 887% 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 815% 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 887% 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 $184 in Belvaux versus $1,687 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 $184 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 815% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.