Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brahmanbaria Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brahmanbaria

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $349 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $568 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $787 in Brahmanbaria, rent included.

Medellin costs about 370% more than Brahmanbaria, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Brahmanbaria is 75% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.04 COP 24.8K
$1.97 ৳242
308.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.29 COP 148.6K
$12.17 ৳1,495
296.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.42 COP 29.0K
$5.38 ৳661
75.09%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.70 ৳331
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.03 ৳495
-
Cappuccino
$2.94 COP 9,040
$1.92 ৳236
53.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 COP 5,735
$0.37 ৳44.86
402.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.46 COP 4,479
$0.12 ৳15.22
1116.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 COP 9,882
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.71 COP 17.6K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 COP 4,428
$0.82 ৳100
75.61%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 COP 7,389
$0.60 ৳74.1
300.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.70 COP 5,228
$0.68 ৳83.0
150.00%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 8,896
$1.01 ৳124
186.14%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.06 COP 30.9K
$7.35 ৳903
36.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.97 COP 30.7K
$1.54 ৳189
547.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.20 COP 43.7K
$7.35 ৳903
93.20%
Apples (1kg)
$3.98 COP 12.3K
$2.26 ৳278
76.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 COP 4,878
$0.83 ৳102
90.36%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 COP 6,624
$1.97 ৳242
9.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.30 COP 7,078
$0.81 ৳99.0
183.95%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 COP 6,169
$0.44 ৳53.7
354.55%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 COP 4,646
$0.79 ৳97.2
91.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.20 COP 3,701
$0.46 ৳56.6
160.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.28 COP 3,946
$0.33 ৳40.94
287.88%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$8.66 ৳1,064
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.78 ৳96.3
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.51 ৳185
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.84 COP 11.8K
$3.04 ৳374
26.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.01 COP 43.1K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 COP 5,256
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74 COP 8,440
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.25 COP 3,834
$0.43 ৳52.3
190.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.9 COP 239.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 COP 4,016
$0.77 ৳95.0
70.13%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.17 COP 6,680
$0.55 ৳68.0
294.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.29 COP 25.5K
$3.97 ৳488
108.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 COP 4,172
$1.05 ৳129
29.52%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.5K COP 84.5M
$32.5K ৳4.0M
-15.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.5K COP 112.4M
$44.7K ৳5.5M
-18.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$169 COP 519.2K
$29.88 ৳3,671
464.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 COP 41.8K
$5.39 ৳662
151.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.32 COP 87.2K
$12.36 ৳1,518
129.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.71 COP 140.7K
$13.76 ৳1,690
232.19%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.22 COP 53.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65 COP 20.5K
$3.59 ৳441
85.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$803 COP 2.5M
$35.77 ৳4,394
2145.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,190 COP 28.3M
$1,484 ৳182.3K
519.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$87.4 COP 268.8K
$22.46 ৳2,758
288.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.4 COP 182.7K
$19.89 ৳2,443
198.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$139 COP 427.5K
$57.0 ৳7,004
143.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 COP 314.0K
$35.28 ৳4,334
189.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,071 COP 3.3M
$89.0 ৳10.9K
1103.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$653 COP 2.0M
$51.4 ৳6,316
1169.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,925 COP 5.9M
$169 ৳20.8K
1039.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,048 COP 3.2M
$118 ৳14.5K
787.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,123 COP 12.7M
$688 ৳84.5K
499.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,697 COP 5.2M
$267 ৳32.8K
536.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Brahmanbaria
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$655 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.5
-4.87%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Brahmanbaria: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $89.0 in Brahmanbaria. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $12.00 in Brahmanbaria. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $110 – making Brahmanbaria the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Brahmanbaria: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Brahmanbaria cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 370%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $524 in Brahmanbaria. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Brahmanbaria, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Brahmanbaria?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,641 in Medellin and $349 in Brahmanbaria. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $35.77 in Brahmanbaria. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Brahmanbaria?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Brahmanbaria, where all-in costs run around $349, than in Medellin at $1,641. In Brahmanbaria it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Brahmanbaria more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Brahmanbaria – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Brahmanbaria. 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.

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