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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $700 in Brest, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,107 in Brest, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,514 in Brest, rent included.

Medellin costs about 45% more than Brest, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Brest are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Brest 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.68 BYN 21.58

-22.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$28.62 BYN 80.4

14.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.94 BYN 19.50

2.16%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.50 BYN 4.22

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.79 BYN 2.21

39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.72 BYN 2.02

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.20 BYN 3.37

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.82 BYN 7.93

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.87 BYN 2.45

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.72 BYN 2.01

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.80 BYN 2.25

72.50%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.36 BYN 3.83

61.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.72 BYN 18.88

-34.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.55 BYN 9.97

58.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$3.59 BYN 10.10

147.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.30 BYN 3.66

80.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.66 BYN 4.66

-36.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.69 BYN 4.74

-11.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.77 BYN 4.97

-22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.78 BYN 2.20

47.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.80 BYN 2.25

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.34 BYN 3.77

-33.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.05 BYN 2.96

-20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.87 BYN 5.25

21.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.22 BYN 23.10

29.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.09 BYN 3.07

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.80 BYN 5.06

37.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.32 BYN 0.91

168.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$14.89 BYN 41.83

178.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$2.10 BYN 5.89

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.63 BYN 1.77

211.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.20 BYN 17.43

24.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.82 BYN 2.31

15.85%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$17.9K BYN 50.2K

1.47%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.5K BYN 71.7K

3.73%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$49.51 BYN 139

66.13%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.38 BYN 23.54

13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$22.21 BYN 62.4

9.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$29.05 BYN 81.6

-10.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.66 BYN 13.10

-15.67%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$302 BYN 849

2.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,778 BYN 16.2K

3.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$47.24 BYN 133

24.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.43 BYN 102

-11.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$101 BYN 285

1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$78.7 BYN 221

37.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$345 BYN 970

37.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$171 BYN 480

121.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$482 BYN 1,354

73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$299 BYN 839

142.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,652 BYN 7,452

5.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$3,002 BYN 8,436

-59.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$577 BYN 1,621

-11.28%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brest: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $345 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 13% higher in Brest, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Brest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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 45% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,050 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 23% 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 $700, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $700 versus $1,013 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.