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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,604 in Budaors, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,347 in Budaors, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,091 in Budaors, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Budaors, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Budaors sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Budaors by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$12.49 Ft 3,894

-36.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$58.7 Ft 18.3K

-24.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.67 Ft 3,016

-3.93%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.61 Ft 813

11.11%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.94 Ft 605

-6.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.96 Ft 611

-20.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.74 Ft 853

18.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.14 Ft 978

87.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.28 Ft 400

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.72 Ft 535

42.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.58 Ft 806

-41.47%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$4.01 Ft 1,249

-30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$12.27 Ft 3,827

-26.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$6.92 Ft 2,158

53.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$16.72 Ft 5,214

-12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.09 Ft 652

89.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.18 Ft 679

-36.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.70 Ft 843

-14.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$3.71 Ft 1,156

-45.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.18 Ft 368

77.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.40 Ft 437

16.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.74 Ft 542

-37.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.59 Ft 185

111.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$8.32 Ft 2,594

-51.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$4.70 Ft 1,465

186.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.30 Ft 404

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.28 Ft 712

31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.25 Ft 389

-5.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$27.84 Ft 8,679

187.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$3.56 Ft 1,111

-54.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.40 Ft 436

52.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$20.84 Ft 6,497

-59.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.94 Ft 605

-30.41%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$31.3K Ft 9.8M

-9.50%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$36.5K Ft 11.4M

-2.24%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$176 Ft 54.9K

-14.01%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$25.98 Ft 8,101

-49.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$21.42 Ft 6,680

50.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$78.3 Ft 24.4K

-40.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$11.41 Ft 3,558

51.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$9.60 Ft 2,992

-33.02%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$541 Ft 168.8K

54.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$8,084 Ft 2.5M

9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$102 Ft 32.0K

-12.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$45.04 Ft 14.0K

22.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$100 Ft 31.2K

36.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$118 Ft 36.6K

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$581 Ft 181.0K

64.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$588 Ft 183.3K

13.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$902 Ft 281.2K

123.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$891 Ft 277.9K

28.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$4,126 Ft 1.3M

-10.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$3,939 Ft 1.2M

-59.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,658 Ft 516.8K

-62.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

7.67

35.98%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Budaors: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $581 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 165% higher in Budaors, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Budaors. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $272 in Budaors – so Budaors wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,687 in Medellin, $1,604 in Budaors – roughly 5% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,406 in Budaors. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in Budaors. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Budaors, where all-in costs run around $1,604, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Budaors it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,604 in Budaors to $1,687 in Medellin. 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 Budaors. 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.