Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boksburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boksburg

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,045 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,671 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,296 in Boksburg.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 1% less than in Boksburg, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Boksburg 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.15 R 184

-44.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$42.75 R 706

-23.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.74 R 78.3

54.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.17 R 35.74

-20.74%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.03 R 17.00

1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.77 R 12.66

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.27 R 37.39

-25.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.82 R 46.49

12.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.19 R 19.71

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.03 R 16.97

26.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.58 R 26.14

-11.39%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.54 R 41.87

-14.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.90 R 130

-44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.68 R 77.3

25.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.53 R 108

32.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.70 R 28.05

34.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.52 R 25.14

-26.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.61 R 26.63

-4.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.61 R 26.59

-16.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.50 R 24.81

-24.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.44 R 23.76

-21.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.09 R 18.00

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.17 R 19.27

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.03 R 50.1

-22.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.20 R 102

99.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.31 R 21.60

-8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.78 R 29.32

39.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.61 R 26.64

-47.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.09 R 17.98

30.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.96 R 15.91

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.06 R 50.5

150.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.26 R 20.76

-21.43%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$19.2K R 316.3K

-5.93%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.6K R 388.7K

13.04%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$124 R 2,052

-35.02%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$40.35 R 666

-75.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$42.65 R 704

-43.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$28.01 R 462

-10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.83 R 113

180.38%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.70 R 127

-48.31%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$195 R 3,211

56.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,968 R 82.0K

21.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$50.9 R 840

14.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$32.01 R 528

0.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$89.6 R 1,478

12.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$80.0 R 1,320

34.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$300 R 4,957

58.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$332 R 5,485

13.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$625 R 10.3K

35.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$720 R 11.9K

1.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$890 R 14.7K

-30.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.51

16.68%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $300 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boksburg pays 44% 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 $43.00 in Boksburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $186, with Boksburg cheaper for home cooking.

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 Boksburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Boksburg differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $1,045 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 44% lower in Boksburg. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $300 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Boksburg pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,045 in Boksburg – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,045 in Boksburg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Boksburg. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Boksburg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.