Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bunia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bunia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,641 in Medellin versus $401 in Bunia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $650 in Bunia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $898 in Bunia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 309% more expensive than in Bunia, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Bunia is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.98 CDF 2,211

46.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.04 CDF 4,610

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.97 CDF 4,464

-13.71%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.55 CDF 8,034

-18.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$3.06 CDF 6,920

228.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.95 CDF 11.2K

101.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$5.11 CDF 11.6K

177.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.07 CDF 11.5K

-21.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.52 CDF 3,441

3.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.54 CDF 5,750

-15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.04 CDF 4,625

12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$2.91 CDF 6,594

-31.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.95 CDF 6,664

-48.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.89 CDF 8,795

-69.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.83 CDF 1,872

54.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$6.07 CDF 13.7K

-36.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$3.05 CDF 6,896

-43.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$4.87 CDF 11.0K

-43.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$14.73 CDF 33.3K

-91.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$5.06 CDF 11.5K

-57.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$14.70 CDF 33.3K

-43.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$2.02 CDF 4,578

-32.67%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$14.93 CDF 33.8K

-9.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$10.10 CDF 22.9K

352.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$14.92 CDF 33.8K

15.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.21 CDF 29.9K

-49.66%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$3,475 CDF 7.9M

164.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$30.39 CDF 68.7K

187.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$44.72 CDF 101.2K

32.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$54.3 CDF 122.8K

155.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$64.5 CDF 145.8K

58.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bunia: September 5, 2026

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 Bunia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Bunia differ by about 309% in total monthly costs ($1,641 vs $401 including rent). Bunia is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,462 in Medellin and $601 in Bunia to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $401 in Bunia – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $401 in Bunia versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bunia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bunia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Bunia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 309% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.