Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Birjand Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Birjand

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $521 in Birjand, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $816 in Birjand, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,111 in Birjand, rent included.

Medellin costs about 95% more than Birjand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Birjand are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Birjand 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.95 $3.95

50.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$17.34 $17.34

92.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.47 $4.47

61.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 $0.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.10 $1.10

48.18%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.46 $0.46

136.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.95 $0.95

-23.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.60 $0.60

75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.53 $0.53

143.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.93 $1.93

-31.61%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.17 $1.17

94.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.52 $3.52

23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.15 $3.15

86.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.76 $9.76

-11.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.85 $0.85

164.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.36 $1.36

-21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.83 $0.83

83.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.55 $0.55

158.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 $0.48

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.46 $0.46

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.54 $0.54

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.25 $0.25

260.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.56 $0.56

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.14 $2.14

5.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.19 $0.19

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.15 $10.15

313.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.34 $0.34

314.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.29 $0.29

555.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.04 $2.04

279.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.79 $0.79

27.85%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$71.4K $71.4K

-75.39%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$55.6K $55.6K

-52.33%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$16.02 $16.02

422.35%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$2.03 $2.03

365.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.82 $5.82

314.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.84 $15.84

59.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.64 $12.64

51.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.47 $1.47

178.91%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$114 $114

173.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,002 $2,002

199.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$22.22 $22.22

161.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$24.64 $24.64

32.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$108 $108

-7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$68.9 $68.9

57.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$290 $290

66.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$196 $196

93.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$633 $633

32.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$319 $319

127.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,099 $1,099

158.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$535 $535

128.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.24

-39.61%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Birjand: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $290 in Birjand. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Birjand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $105 – making Birjand 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 Birjand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $521 in Birjand – roughly 95% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $782 in Birjand. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 80% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $17.00 in Birjand. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Birjand, where all-in costs run around $521, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Birjand it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $521 in Birjand to $1,017 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Birjand. 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.