Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brest Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brest

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $693 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,111 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,529 in Brest, rent included.

Medellin costs about 49% more than Brest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Brest are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Brest 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.49 BYN 21.56

-17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.44 BYN 84.8

10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.77 BYN 19.50

8.42%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.49 BYN 4.29

15.44%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 BYN 2.21

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.68 BYN 1.96

13.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.24 BYN 3.57

36.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.80 BYN 8.08

13.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.81 BYN 2.34

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.67 BYN 1.93

94.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.83 BYN 2.38

68.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.37 BYN 3.94

57.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.78 BYN 19.53

-35.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.52 BYN 10.13

67.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.62 BYN 10.43

138.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.30 BYN 3.74

75.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.67 BYN 4.81

-33.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.76 BYN 5.06

-13.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.76 BYN 5.06

-23.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.76 BYN 2.19

48.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.85 BYN 2.45

32.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.31 BYN 3.77

-35.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.10 BYN 3.17

-17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.80 BYN 5.19

30.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.22 BYN 23.68

50.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.09 BYN 3.15

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.81 BYN 5.21

37.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 BYN 0.86

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$14.60 BYN 42.06

177.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.09 BYN 6.01

-32.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.64 BYN 1.83

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.01 BYN 17.31

27.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.82 BYN 2.38

20.73%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.5K BYN 50.3K

3.32%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.9K BYN 74.5K

3.00%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$50.8 BYN 146

59.20%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.62 BYN 24.84

15.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.44 BYN 64.6

7.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$29.13 BYN 83.9

-13.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.70 BYN 13.54

-15.32%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$311 BYN 895

-1.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,642 BYN 16.2K

7.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$47.41 BYN 137

22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.98 BYN 104

-10.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$105 BYN 302

-3.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$80.1 BYN 231

34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$338 BYN 973

41.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$171 BYN 492

120.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$489 BYN 1,408

72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$308 BYN 888

136.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,473 BYN 7,123

30.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,933 BYN 8,448

-53.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$558 BYN 1,608

10.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Brest: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $338 in Brest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 10% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Brest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $153 – making Brest 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 Brest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 49% more than Brest, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,039 in Brest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Brest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in Brest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Brest, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Brest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Brest costs $693 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Brest. 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.