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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $505 in Birjand, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $798 in Birjand, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,092 in Birjand, rent included.

Medellin costs about 234% more than Birjand, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Birjand is 63% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$3.77 $3.77

109.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$15.67 $15.67

184.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$3.62 $3.62

156.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 $1.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.07 $1.07

171.03%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.59 $0.59

206.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.08 $1.08

43.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.67 $0.67

105.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.47 $0.47

421.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.15 $2.15

-29.77%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.08 $1.08

157.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$3.09 $3.09

192.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.19 $3.19

233.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.53 $8.53

71.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$0.85 $0.85

367.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.46 $1.46

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.76 $0.76

202.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$0.64 $0.64

215.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.58 $0.58

260.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.54 $0.54

201.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.52 $0.52

107.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.21 $0.21

495.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.56 $0.56

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.55 $2.55

58.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.22 $0.22

436.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$5.45 $5.45

1366.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.41 $0.41

292.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.34 $0.34

526.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$2.25 $2.25

278.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.10 $0.10

1250.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$56.6K $56.6K

-49.96%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$43.5K $43.5K

-17.90%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$12.95 $12.95

1068.96%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$1.75 $1.75

648.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$4.13 $4.13

682.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$18.55 $18.55

149.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$14.08 $14.08

22.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$2.03 $2.03

216.75%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$104 $104

699.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$743 $743

1095.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$23.20 $23.20

285.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$30.51 $30.51

81.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$91.8 $91.8

48.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$69.2 $69.2

58.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$268 $268

255.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$191 $191

249.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$496 $496

307.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$318 $318

261.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,289 $1,289

186.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$573 $573

176.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

-54.65%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Birjand: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $268 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Birjand. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $102 – 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: $1,687 in Medellin, $505 in Birjand – roughly 234% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $758 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 192% 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $16.00 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 $505, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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 $505 in Birjand to $1,687 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.