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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $962 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,461 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,960 in Bloemfontein, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Bloemfontein, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Bloemfontein are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bloemfontein 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$11.14 R 181

-46.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$37.74 R 613

-12.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.61 R 107

7.26%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.83 R 29.73

-6.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.40 R 22.72

-21.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.95 R 15.41

-17.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.36 R 38.32

-28.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.21 R 35.87

38.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.00 R 16.18

9.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.98 R 16.00

28.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.98 R 32.11

-30.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.99 R 32.34

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.99 R 114

-37.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.83 R 78.5

16.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.99 R 114

27.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.66 R 27.03

40.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.17 R 18.95

-9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.46 R 23.67

2.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.33 R 21.68

3.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.86 R 14.00

33.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.73 R 28.11

-32.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.07 R 17.37

-16.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.91 R 14.79

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.54 R 41.32

-10.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.89 R 79.4

117.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.48 R 24.03

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.52 R 24.68

62.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.78 R 12.66

10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.10 R 17.92

33.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.66 R 10.74

196.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.96 R 64.3

95.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.29 R 20.88

-26.36%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$23.0K R 373.6K

-21.14%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.8K R 402.9K

6.83%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$75.3 R 1,224

9.17%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$30.97 R 503

-69.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$35.17 R 571

-31.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.07 R 472

-10.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.74 R 93.4

-31.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$124 R 2,017

149.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,264 R 69.3K

39.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$56.3 R 915

4.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$31.94 R 519

1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$126 R 2,055

-18.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$91.7 R 1,491

18.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$294 R 4,779

61.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$290 R 4,711

30.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$475 R 7,717

76.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$509 R 8,273

42.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$501 R 8,147

456.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$640 R 10.4K

89.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,338 R 21.7K

-61.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.47

17.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bloemfontein: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $294 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 161% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Bloemfontein. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $171 in Bloemfontein – so Bloemfontein wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 5% more than Bloemfontein, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,443 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Bloemfontein. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bloemfontein, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $962 versus $1,013 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.