Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bloemfontein Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bloemfontein

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,066 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,690 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,313 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

Medellin costs about 58% more than Bloemfontein, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bloemfontein is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$12.32 R 200

-34.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$42.44 R 690

12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$7.48 R 122

32.22%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$2.14 R 34.80

46.26%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.48 R 24.02

29.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.15 R 18.63

31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.55 R 41.50

22.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.80 R 45.60

105.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.09 R 17.78

32.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.05 R 17.05

137.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$2.13 R 34.70

-16.90%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.19 R 35.67

35.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$7.73 R 126

30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$4.98 R 80.9

103.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$8.20 R 133

74.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.03 R 32.95

103.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.59 R 25.93

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$1.76 R 28.65

27.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$1.59 R 25.78

41.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$1.57 R 25.45

29.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.89 R 30.80

-18.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$1.13 R 18.31

3.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.98 R 15.95

33.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$2.51 R 40.79

55.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$5.02 R 81.5

179.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.77 R 28.84

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$1.39 R 22.59

106.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.95 R 15.39

28.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$76.0 R 1,236

5.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$1.14 R 18.50

14.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.40 R 22.72

-2.14%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$37.8K R 613.8K

-26.28%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$29.8K R 485.0K

19.91%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$80.1 R 1,303

121.24%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$33.60 R 546

-58.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$32.14 R 522

-7.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$31.72 R 516

41.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$4.98 R 81.0

33.53%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$199 R 3,235

308.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$61.9 R 1,006

44.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$42.90 R 697

37.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$136 R 2,218

1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$116 R 1,883

-11.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$320 R 5,209

231.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$290 R 4,721

128.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$513 R 8,336

268.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$543 R 8,835

88.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$499 R 8,119

737.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$652 R 10.6K

156.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,332 R 21.7K

-49.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.13

-9.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bloemfontein: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $320 in Bloemfontein. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 97% higher in Bloemfontein, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Bloemfontein. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $193 – making Bloemfontein 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 Bloemfontein: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 58% more than Bloemfontein, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,599 in Bloemfontein. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 58% 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $42.00 in Bloemfontein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloemfontein, where all-in costs run around $1,066, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Bloemfontein it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bloemfontein costs $1,066 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Bloemfontein. 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.