🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,090 in Birzeit.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,797 in Birzeit.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $2,505 in Birzeit.
🌍Living in Medellin costs roughly 8% less than in Birzeit, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin25% lower, Birzeit18% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 19.1K
$9.09₪27.70
-34.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 106.5K
$48.54₪148
-32.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 24.0K
$10.06₪30.63
-26.14%
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,343
$2.49₪7.58
-33.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,559
$0.78₪2.38
41.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,523
$0.58₪1.76
34.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,553
$5.52₪16.80
-68.84%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.3K
$5.46₪16.62
-41.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,565
$2.11₪6.42
-47.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 4,066
$1.16₪3.54
8.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,463
$2.61₪7.95
-47.13%
Eggs
$2.18COP 7,038
$3.93₪11.96
-44.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.5K
$7.34₪22.37
-38.83%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.7K
$8.79₪26.77
-34.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 29.0K
$17.34₪52.8
-48.27%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,499
$2.30₪7.00
0.87%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,440
$1.80₪5.47
-41.11%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,899
$1.29₪3.94
17.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,381
$2.00₪6.08
-32.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,645
$1.09₪3.32
3.67%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,785
$1.39₪4.24
-15.83%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,912
$1.39₪4.24
-35.25%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,897
$0.87₪2.66
3.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,218
$7.87₪23.98
-71.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 39.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,841
$2.79₪8.49
-57.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 8,020
$2.43₪7.40
2.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,758
$2.31₪7.05
-63.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 134.5K
$68.6₪209
-39.34%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,575
$2.79₪8.49
-49.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,302
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 25.5K
$13.87₪42.25
-43.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,200
$1.88₪5.73
-47.34%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 56.9M
$40.1K₪122.0K
-56.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 86.6M
$47.5K₪144.7K
-43.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 268.2K
$64.7₪197
28.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 31.3K
$13.94₪42.47
-30.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 76.0K
$20.16₪61.4
16.67%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 81.6K
$78.8₪240
-67.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 61.7K
$18.60₪56.7
2.69%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.8K
$9.37₪28.54
-57.84%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 1.0M
$124₪379
154.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 19.3M
$2,562₪7,805
133.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 193.8K
$51.2₪156
17.16%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 102.8K
$38.24₪117
-16.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 328.5K
$78.7₪240
29.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 347.2K
$64.0₪195
67.89%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$353₪1,075
34.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$276₪841
35.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$678₪2,065
25.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$596₪1,816
20.70%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.7M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Birzeit
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
5.62
138.97%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Birzeit: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $353 in Birzeit. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $49.00 in Birzeit for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $255 per month, with Medellin 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 Birzeit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Birzeit cheaper than Medellin?
Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,635 in Birzeit to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Birzeit?
Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $353 in Birzeit. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Birzeit?
All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,090 in Birzeit – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 65% less than in Birzeit. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Birzeit?
At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,090 in Birzeit, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Birzeit. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Birzeit more family-friendly?
For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Birzeit, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Birzeit. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.