Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Budaors Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Budaors

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,372 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,040 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,709 in Budaors, rent included.

Medellin is about 26% cheaper than Budaors, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Budaors is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.72 Ft 3,547

-49.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$52.2 Ft 15.8K

-36.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$8.75 Ft 2,646

-17.37%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.24 Ft 678

-27.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.68 Ft 509

-35.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.28 Ft 389

-42.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.49 Ft 753

-30.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.93 Ft 887

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.09 Ft 330

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.51 Ft 457

-14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.11 Ft 640

-37.44%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.13 Ft 946

-27.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.11 Ft 3,060

-56.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$6.40 Ft 1,936

-8.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.25 Ft 4,009

-35.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.84 Ft 556

22.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.99 Ft 603

-46.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.15 Ft 650

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.22 Ft 975

-55.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.14 Ft 344

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.40 Ft 424

-16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.50 Ft 453

-40.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.56 Ft 171

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$6.71 Ft 2,030

-66.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.91 Ft 1,485

124.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.17 Ft 353

-2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.67 Ft 505

42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.33 Ft 401

-36.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$13.82 Ft 4,181

203.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.21 Ft 972

-56.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.18 Ft 357

61.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$19.23 Ft 5,818

-59.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.83 Ft 553

-44.81%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$25.7K Ft 7.8M

-31.58%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$31.7K Ft 9.6M

-16.41%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$144 Ft 43.7K

-42.07%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$26.14 Ft 7,908

-63.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.78 Ft 5,985

21.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$69.8 Ft 21.1K

-63.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$10.66 Ft 3,226

79.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$8.75 Ft 2,648

-53.14%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$458 Ft 138.6K

-31.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,249 Ft 1.9M

-4.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$66.3 Ft 20.0K

-12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$38.55 Ft 11.7K

-15.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$91.9 Ft 27.8K

8.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$91.4 Ft 27.7K

18.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$526 Ft 159.0K

-8.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$534 Ft 161.6K

-28.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$809 Ft 244.7K

3.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$821 Ft 248.5K

-11.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$4,222 Ft 1.3M

-32.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$4,059 Ft 1.2M

-69.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,752 Ft 530.1K

-69.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.5

79.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Budaors: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $526 in Budaors. 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 224% higher in Budaors, 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 $52.0 in Budaors. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $233 – making Medellin 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 Budaors: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $1,372 in Budaors – roughly 35% apart. Budaors costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,058 in Budaors. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 Budaors, 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 $52.0 in Budaors. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Budaors at $1,372. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Budaors it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,017 in Medellin to $1,372 in Budaors. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Budaors makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.