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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $886 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,355 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,825 in Bishkek.

Living in Medellin is roughly 15% more expensive than Bishkek, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bishkek 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.39 KGS 558

-6.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.07 KGS 1,842

58.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.77 KGS 504

25.30%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.01 KGS 176

-18.91%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.64 KGS 56.3

70.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.32 KGS 28.30

128.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.17 KGS 102

48.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.68 KGS 147

92.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.89 KGS 77.9

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.46 KGS 40.17

180.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.60 KGS 140

-17.50%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.79 KGS 156

26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.89 KGS 690

-44.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.01 KGS 438

17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.67 KGS 671

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.06 KGS 92.6

112.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.94 KGS 170

-44.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.01 KGS 176

-24.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.74 KGS 152

-18.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.59 KGS 51.7

98.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.49 KGS 42.77

138.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.59 KGS 51.4

50.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 KGS 41.72

87.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.71 KGS 149

31.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.86 KGS 687

40.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.21 KGS 106

-5.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.96 KGS 171

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.22 KGS 19.20

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$11.60 KGS 1,014

261.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.38 KGS 121

2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.22 KGS 19.10

763.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$3.53 KGS 309

119.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.85 KGS 74.1

18.82%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$38.3K KGS 3.3M

-54.10%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.2K KGS 3.0M

-22.56%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$33.53 KGS 2,931

149.57%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$6.94 KGS 607

36.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.95 KGS 1,045

101.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$42.58 KGS 3,722

-40.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$15.95 KGS 1,394

20.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$4.56 KGS 399

-10.09%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$201 KGS 17.6K

55.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,559 KGS 398.6K

31.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$36.62 KGS 3,202

58.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$39.83 KGS 3,482

-18.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$94.8 KGS 8,284

5.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$102 KGS 8,922

6.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$484 KGS 42.3K

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$365 KGS 31.9K

3.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$911 KGS 79.6K

-8.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$636 KGS 55.6K

13.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,651 KGS 144.4K

71.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,155 KGS 101.0K

5.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$481 KGS 42.0K

12.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.2

-33.51%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $484 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 13% 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 $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $169 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 13% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $484 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $201 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $886 in Bishkek versus $1,017 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 15% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.