Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bishkek Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bishkek

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $964 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,466 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,968 in Bishkek.

Living in Medellin is roughly 75% more expensive than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bishkek is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$6.82 KGS 597

15.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$29.00 KGS 2,535

53.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$5.69 KGS 497

63.27%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.36 KGS 206

22.88%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$0.71 KGS 62.5

154.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.41 KGS 35.42

278.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.33 KGS 117

144.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.15 KGS 188

173.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$0.99 KGS 86.9

39.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$0.41 KGS 35.93

497.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.65 KGS 144

-8.48%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.69 KGS 148

64.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$7.68 KGS 671

17.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.47 KGS 391

138.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.63 KGS 755

69.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.35 KGS 118

194.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.90 KGS 166

-27.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.06 KGS 180

11.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.60 KGS 140

26.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.59 KGS 51.5

254.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.46 KGS 40.14

254.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.72 KGS 62.7

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.61 KGS 53.7

104.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.10 KGS 183

91.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.94 KGS 694

69.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.38 KGS 121

15.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.99 KGS 174

50.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.22 KGS 19.23

436.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$11.81 KGS 1,032

576.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.83 KGS 72.8

93.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.48 KGS 42.08

343.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$5.68 KGS 496

50.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$0.90 KGS 79.0

50.00%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$30.0K KGS 2.6M

-5.60%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$33.6K KGS 2.9M

6.18%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$47.23 KGS 4,129

220.52%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$6.04 KGS 528

116.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$11.69 KGS 1,022

176.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$55.6 KGS 4,861

-16.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$14.69 KGS 1,284

17.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.86 KGS 513

9.73%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$219 KGS 19.1K

281.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$7,778 KGS 680.0K

14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$49.67 KGS 4,342

79.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$43.69 KGS 3,820

26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$88.4 KGS 7,732

54.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$90.7 KGS 7,930

20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$571 KGS 49.9K

66.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$400 KGS 35.0K

66.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,047 KGS 91.6K

92.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$685 KGS 59.9K

67.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,676 KGS 146.5K

120.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,178 KGS 103.0K

34.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$483 KGS 42.2K

29.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

20.22

-48.42%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $571 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 29% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $173 per month, with Bishkek 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 Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $952 in Medellin versus $571 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $219 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $964 in Bishkek versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bishkek 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 Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.