🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,097 in Benoni.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $2,409 in Benoni.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $3,721 in Benoni.
🙂Living in Medellin costs roughly 6% less than in Benoni, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Benoni18% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$8.47R 142
-30.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$34.00R 570
-3.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$4.62R 77.5
55.84%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.05R 34.43
-17.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.01R 16.94
8.91%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.78R 13.14
-7.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$2.22R 37.21
-24.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$2.56R 43.00
21.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.15R 19.24
-7.83%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.02R 17.10
22.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.73R 29.00
-19.65%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.49R 41.78
-9.24%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$7.87R 132
-44.98%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$4.65R 78.0
25.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$6.34R 106
39.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$1.67R 28.04
34.13%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.53R 25.73
-29.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.49R 25.04
2.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.65R 27.71
-16.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.32R 22.10
-14.39%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.17R 19.68
-4.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$1.09R 18.23
-22.02%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.88R 14.70
3.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$3.16R 53.0
-26.27%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$5.19R 87.1
114.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.32R 22.12
-9.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$1.60R 26.88
48.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$1.66R 27.91
-52.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$1.15R 19.26
25.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.95R 15.93
101.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$3.13R 52.4
156.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.29R 21.59
-27.13%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$22.4KR 375.6K
-19.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$23.5KR 394.6K
13.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$124R 2,077
-32.22%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$40.14R 673
-76.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$43.03R 722
-43.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$16.47R 276
57.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$7.27R 122
-46.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$211R 3,540
45.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$4,372R 73.3K
35.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$51.2R 858
13.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$33.05R 554
-3.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$89.4R 1,499
11.74%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$78.4R 1,314
36.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$366R 6,136
33.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$434R 7,272
-15.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$441R 7,401
87.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$2,383R 40.0K
-69.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$824R 13.8K
255.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,031R 17.3K
36.49%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Benoni
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$1,907R 32.0K
-71.39%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
11.51
16.68%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Benoni: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $366 in Benoni. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Benoni pays 250% 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 $34.00 in Benoni. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $178, with Benoni cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Benoni: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and Benoni?
Medellin and Benoni differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,097 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, Benoni earns 250% 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 Benoni?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $366 in Benoni. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Shoppers in Benoni pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Benoni?
All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,097 in Benoni – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,097 in Benoni, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Benoni. 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 Benoni?
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 Benoni safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Medellin and Benoni 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 Benoni?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Benoni. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado