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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $413 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $681 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $949 in Bosaso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 150% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bosaso 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.06 SOS 1,176

187.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$9.93 SOS 5,677

229.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$5.13 SOS 2,935

40.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.23 SOS 701

38.21%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.99 SOS 565

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.55 SOS 313

30.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.57 SOS 1,471

-58.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$0.97 SOS 555

28.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.03 SOS 588

34.95%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.78 SOS 1,018

26.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.97 SOS 3,412

-27.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$6.61 SOS 3,777

-11.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$5.54 SOS 3,166

59.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.43 SOS 1,960

-34.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.55 SOS 2,028

-69.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.09 SOS 1,765

-50.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.05 SOS 1,171

-33.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.97 SOS 1,127

-42.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.03 SOS 587

8.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.68 SOS 960

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.29 SOS 165

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.48 SOS 848

-2.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.58 SOS 332

229.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$3.05 SOS 1,743

162.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$0.98 SOS 562

-4.08%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$4,051 SOS 2.3M

342.36%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$9,041 SOS 5.2M

196.31%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$9.81 SOS 5,610

-2.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$32.39 SOS 18.5K

-25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$10.86 SOS 6,209

433.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$15.13 SOS 8,651

110.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$13.12 SOS 7,503

661.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$14.95 SOS 8,544

616.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$123 SOS 70.2K

296.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$85.7 SOS 49.0K

329.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$199 SOS 113.7K

315.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$187 SOS 106.7K

283.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$30.5K SOS 17.5M

-90.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$301 SOS 172.1K

81.24%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $123 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 81% 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 $203, 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 150% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $413 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 81% 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: $487 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 $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $413 in Bosaso – a 150% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Bosaso versus $1,034 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 150% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.