Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bialystok Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bialystok

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,421 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $2,002 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,582 in Bialystok, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Bialystok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 25% below the global median, while Bialystok is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.4K

$9.69 zł 36.19

-39.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 102.7K

$47.92 zł 179

-31.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.1K

$8.21 zł 30.68

-9.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,153

$3.18 zł 11.86

-48.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,432

$1.82 zł 6.82

-39.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,433

$1.65 zł 6.15

-52.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,356

$3.30 zł 12.33

-47.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 9,904

$2.95 zł 11.01

7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,439

$1.09 zł 4.06

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,921

$1.23 zł 4.58

2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,304

$1.23 zł 4.59

12.20%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,788

$3.13 zł 11.69

-30.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.0K

$8.48 zł 31.69

-47.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.0K

$6.10 zł 22.79

-5.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 27.9K

$10.69 zł 39.93

-16.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,232

$0.95 zł 3.56

144.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,318

$1.80 zł 6.72

-41.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,725

$1.75 zł 6.54

-13.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,226

$2.18 zł 8.15

-37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,515

$0.92 zł 3.45

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.02 zł 3.80

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,809

$1.15 zł 4.30

-21.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,794

$0.55 zł 2.06

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 6,961

$5.08 zł 18.98

-56.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 37.8K

$6.33 zł 23.67

91.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,704

$1.25 zł 4.67

-4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,735

$1.62 zł 6.04

53.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,660

$1.12 zł 4.19

-24.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 129.7K

$35.00 zł 131

18.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,413

$2.19 zł 8.19

-35.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,078

$0.49 zł 1.83

297.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.6K

$12.10 zł 45.21

-34.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,086

$1.76 zł 6.56

-43.75%

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

$17.6K COP 54.8M

$34.1K zł 127.3K

-48.33%

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

$26.8K COP 83.5M

$29.3K zł 109.4K

-8.48%

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

$83.0 COP 258.7K

$305 zł 1,141

-72.81%

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

$9.70 COP 30.2K

$8.15 zł 30.44

19.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 73.3K

$16.58 zł 61.9

41.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 78.7K

$37.14 zł 139

-31.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 59.5K

$19.20 zł 71.7

-0.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.3K

$6.98 zł 26.08

-43.41%

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

$316 COP 984.0K

$340 zł 1,270

-7.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.6M

$9,556 zł 35.7K

-37.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 187.0K

$90.8 zł 339

-33.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 99.1K

$31.01 zł 116

2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 316.8K

$75.4 zł 282

34.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 334.8K

$96.1 zł 359

11.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$549 zł 2,052

-13.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$492 zł 1,839

-24.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.6M

$873 zł 3,261

-2.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.2M

$733 zł 2,739

-1.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.2M

$2,719 zł 10.2K

20.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$2,351 zł 8,783

-38.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 1.9M

$1,474 zł 5,507

-57.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.47

107.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $549 in Bialystok. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 136% higher in Bialystok, 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $48.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $200 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bialystok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bialystok costs about 42% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $2,132 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Medellin and $340 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Bialystok, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Bialystok at $1,421. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bialystok it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,003 versus $1,421 in Bialystok. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bialystok makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.