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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $413 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $688 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $964 in Bosaso.

Living in Medellin is roughly 143% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bosaso 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$2.04 SOS 1,155

189.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$9.95 SOS 5,640

231.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.05 SOS 2,861

47.13%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.22 SOS 693

35.25%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.02 SOS 576

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.55 SOS 312

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.55 SOS 1,446

-56.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.97 SOS 551

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.02 SOS 579

35.29%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.84 SOS 1,043

18.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$5.94 SOS 3,368

-24.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.63 SOS 3,758

-12.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.59 SOS 3,171

60.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$3.60 SOS 2,039

-35.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$3.53 SOS 1,999

-69.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$3.02 SOS 1,710

-49.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.96 SOS 1,110

-30.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.98 SOS 1,122

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.02 SOS 578

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$1.63 SOS 926

-44.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.31 SOS 178

174.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.48 SOS 842

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.58 SOS 329

236.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.96 SOS 1,677

166.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.03 SOS 581

-3.88%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$4,042 SOS 2.3M

335.43%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$8,963 SOS 5.1M

198.97%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$9.83 SOS 5,574

-1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$31.63 SOS 17.9K

-25.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

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

$316 COP 994.2K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$11.06 SOS 6,274

442.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$15.08 SOS 8,548

111.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$12.92 SOS 7,328

686.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$15.28 SOS 8,662

603.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$127 SOS 72.1K

273.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$83.8 SOS 47.5K

346.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$203 SOS 115.3K

317.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$192 SOS 109.1K

273.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$30.3K SOS 17.2M

-89.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$304 SOS 172.3K

105.54%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $127 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 106% 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 $193 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 143% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $413 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 106% higher in Medellin, 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: $475 in Medellin versus $127 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 $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $413 in Bosaso – a 143% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $413 in Bosaso versus $1,003 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 143% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.