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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Bialystok, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,127 in Bialystok, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,745 in Bialystok, rent included.

Medellin costs about 11% more than Bialystok, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Bialystok sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Bialystok by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$9.83 zł 37.37

-18.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$47.09 zł 179

1.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$9.49 zł 36.07

4.21%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.84 zł 14.61

-18.49%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.99 zł 7.55

-4.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.64 zł 6.23

-7.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.63 zł 13.80

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.23 zł 12.28

78.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.11 zł 4.21

29.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.02 zł 3.88

144.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.30 zł 8.75

-23.04%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.97 zł 15.08

-25.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.91 zł 37.70

1.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.91 zł 22.47

71.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$11.87 zł 45.16

20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$1.25 zł 4.75

231.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.81 zł 6.87

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.67 zł 6.35

34.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.09 zł 7.95

7.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.12 zł 4.27

82.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.25 zł 4.76

23.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.22 zł 4.65

-4.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.65 zł 2.46

101.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.25 zł 19.96

-25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$6.51 zł 24.75

115.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.20 zł 4.56

45.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.56 zł 5.95

83.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.10 zł 4.17

10.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

$34.17 zł 130

135.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.09 zł 7.95

-37.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.66 zł 2.52

231.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$13.38 zł 50.9

-34.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.55 zł 5.89

-11.61%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$31.7K zł 120.6K

-12.23%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$29.0K zł 110.2K

23.49%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$308 zł 1,170

-42.36%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$8.70 zł 33.09

59.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.87 zł 71.8

57.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$43.40 zł 165

3.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

$28.41 zł 108

-39.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.13 zł 27.10

-6.73%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$370 zł 1,409

119.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,510 zł 17.1K

103.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$104 zł 394

-13.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$37.59 zł 143

56.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$88.4 zł 336

56.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$92.4 zł 351

10.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$547 zł 2,079

94.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$528 zł 2,008

25.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$842 zł 3,203

124.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$743 zł 2,825

38.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$2,726 zł 10.4K

53.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$2,387 zł 9,078

-29.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,547 zł 5,882

-56.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.07

54.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bialystok: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $547 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 128% higher in Bialystok, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Bialystok. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $216 – making Bialystok 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

Medellin costs about 11% more than Bialystok, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,262 in Bialystok. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $370 in Bialystok. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 41% 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 Bialystok, where all-in costs run around $1,508, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Bialystok it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bialystok costs $1,508 versus $1,681 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 Bialystok. 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.