Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bosaso Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bosaso

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $406 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $673 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $940 in Bosaso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 153% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bosaso 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.01 SOS 1,144

198.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$10.05 SOS 5,709

226.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$5.06 SOS 2,874

46.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.22 SOS 696

35.25%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.98 SOS 558

9.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.54 SOS 307

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$2.43 SOS 1,382

-56.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.02 SOS 579

28.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.97 SOS 553

38.14%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.85 SOS 1,050

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.02 SOS 3,421

-26.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.33 SOS 3,598

-10.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$5.62 SOS 3,193

51.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.54 SOS 2,011

-33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$3.42 SOS 1,945

-67.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$2.95 SOS 1,676

-48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.96 SOS 1,113

-30.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.95 SOS 1,109

-41.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.98 SOS 557

20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$1.61 SOS 917

-46.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.31 SOS 178

154.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.49 SOS 846

-1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.58 SOS 330

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.92 SOS 1,660

166.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.02 SOS 582

-0.98%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$4,062 SOS 2.3M

334.68%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$8,887 SOS 5.0M

197.68%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$9.83 SOS 5,582

-4.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$31.57 SOS 17.9K

-24.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$10.98 SOS 6,237

443.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$14.73 SOS 8,365

117.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$12.83 SOS 7,285

688.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$14.73 SOS 8,364

613.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$123 SOS 70.1K

293.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

332.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$199 SOS 112.9K

315.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$190 SOS 107.7K

285.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$29.5K SOS 16.8M

-89.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$298 SOS 169.1K

85.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.57

56.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $123 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 85% 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 $10.00 in Bosaso. Groceries flip the comparison at $190 vs $199, with Medellin 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 Bosaso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bosaso differ by about 153% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $406 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 85% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $123 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $406 in Bosaso – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $406 in Bosaso versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.