Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binh Duong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Binh Duong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $580 in Binh Duong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $945 in Binh Duong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,310 in Binh Duong.

Living in Medellin is roughly 73% more expensive than in Binh Duong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Binh Duong 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.91 ₫50.2K

209.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$11.67 ₫306.9K

182.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.59 ₫120.8K

61.87%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.77 ₫46.4K

-6.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.47 ₫12.4K

134.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.30 ₫7,922

160.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$0.94 ₫24.6K

82.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.07 ₫28.3K

197.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.45 ₫38.1K

-24.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.78 ₫20.5K

61.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.65 ₫17.1K

112.31%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.46 ₫38.3K

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.51 ₫302.7K

-60.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.34 ₫87.8K

73.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.25 ₫269.6K

-12.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.15 ₫56.6K

7.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.56 ₫14.6K

89.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.72 ₫19.0K

111.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.03 ₫27.1K

32.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.93 ₫24.3K

21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.03 ₫27.1K

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.72 ₫18.8K

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.49 ₫13.0K

83.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$0.78 ₫20.6K

185.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$9.30 ₫244.6K

30.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.56 ₫14.6K

112.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$0.98 ₫25.8K

153.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.32 ₫8,370

165.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$6.64 ₫174.6K

526.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.39 ₫10.3K

264.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.56 ₫14.8K

248.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.14 ₫82.4K

151.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.79 ₫20.7K

25.32%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$38.2K ₫1.0B

-53.97%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.0K ₫893.9M

-21.18%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$37.70 ₫991.1K

120.19%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$6.08 ₫159.9K

59.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$6.36 ₫167.1K

269.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$21.36 ₫561.6K

18.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$7.46 ₫196.0K

156.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.98 ₫78.4K

32.55%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$275 ₫7.2M

15.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$14.2K ₫373.0M

-57.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$31.72 ₫834.0K

89.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$15.14 ₫398.0K

110.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.9 ₫2.0M

32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$68.3 ₫1.8M

57.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$261 ₫6.8M

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$163 ₫4.3M

129.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$622 ₫16.4M

36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$391 ₫10.3M

84.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,559 ₫41.0M

109.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$949 ₫25.0M

51.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$348 ₫9.2M

79.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.14

46.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Binh Duong: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $261 in Binh Duong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 79% 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 $12.00 in Binh Duong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $172 per month, with Binh Duong cheaper across the board.

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 Binh Duong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Binh Duong differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $580 including rent). Binh Duong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $261 in Binh Duong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Binh Duong – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $580 in Binh Duong – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $580 in Binh Duong versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Binh Duong but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Binh Duong the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Binh Duong 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 Binh Duong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.