Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bogota Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bogota

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $966 in Bogota, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,496 in Bogota, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,025 in Bogota, rent included.

Medellin costs about 7% more than Bogota, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Bogota are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bogota 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.97 COP 16.2K

23.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.94 COP 104.0K

2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.81 COP 25.4K

-6.02%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.81 COP 5,896

-4.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.00 COP 3,260

5.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.68 COP 2,220

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.17 COP 3,825

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.24 COP 7,305

41.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.17 COP 3,816

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.48 COP 4,810

-12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.19 COP 3,863

17.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.00 COP 6,511

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.64 COP 15.1K

-5.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.11 COP 16.6K

15.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.20 COP 23.4K

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$3.09 COP 10.0K

-26.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.09 COP 3,554

1.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.36 COP 4,423

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.28 COP 4,176

5.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.11 COP 3,620

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.14 COP 3,698

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.73 COP 2,369

16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.83 COP 2,706

9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.89 COP 9,416

-19.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$15.46 COP 50.3K

-19.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.11 COP 3,606

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.85 COP 6,038

34.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.76 COP 2,485

10.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$40.87 COP 133.0K

-0.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.46 COP 4,753

-2.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.54 COP 5,015

24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.98 COP 19.5K

28.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.02 COP 3,316

-2.94%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$15.8K COP 51.4M

14.27%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.5K COP 83.1M

4.31%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$83.6 COP 272.0K

-3.28%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.26 COP 36.6K

-11.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$26.20 COP 85.3K

-7.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.99 COP 78.1K

4.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$10.93 COP 35.6K

75.21%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.90 COP 16.0K

-18.78%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$291 COP 946.4K

4.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,502 COP 27.7M

-28.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$60.4 COP 196.6K

-3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.70 COP 139.0K

-24.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$102 COP 333.6K

-1.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$83.4 COP 271.4K

29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$449 COP 1.5M

6.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$331 COP 1.1M

13.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$829 COP 2.7M

1.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$643 COP 2.1M

13.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,725 COP 8.9M

18.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,051 COP 6.7M

-33.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$725 COP 2.4M

-14.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.93

3.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bogota: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $449 in Bogota. 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 18% higher in Bogota, 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 $32.00 in Bogota. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $193 in Bogota – so Medellin 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 Bogota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,449 in Bogota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $966 in Bogota. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Bogota. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bogota, where all-in costs run around $966, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Bogota it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bogota – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bogota. 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.