Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bushehr Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bushehr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $509 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $785 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,061 in Bushehr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 97% more expensive than in Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Bushehr 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.09 $6.09

-2.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$13.88 $13.88

137.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.46 $3.46

114.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.98 $0.98

68.37%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.43 $0.43

155.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.20 $1.20

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.49 $0.49

124.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.31 $0.31

306.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.58 $1.58

-12.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.01 $1.01

115.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$1.48 $1.48

203.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.97 $2.97

94.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$9.93 $9.93

-9.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.58 $0.58

300.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.54 $1.54

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.97 $0.97

56.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.49 $0.49

177.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.52 $0.52

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.29 $0.29

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.71 $0.71

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.26 $0.26

246.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 $0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.31 $2.31

-3.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.20 $0.20

325.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$9.87 $9.87

321.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.31 $0.31

358.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.27 $0.27

622.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$1.75 $1.75

350.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.74 $0.74

33.78%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$60.5K $60.5K

-70.89%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$47.7K $47.7K

-43.81%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$19.71 $19.71

321.16%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$1.95 $1.95

397.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$5.88 $5.88

300.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$15.73 $15.73

60.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$12.33 $12.33

54.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.03 $2.03

94.58%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$49.12 $49.12

542.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$597 $597

900.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$23.59 $23.59

154.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$20.26 $20.26

57.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$71.8 $71.8

41.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$40.73 $40.73

163.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$290 $290

63.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$203 $203

84.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$327 $327

159.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$323 $323

122.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,123 $1,123

190.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$569 $569

153.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$284 $284

120.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

20.95

-35.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Bushehr: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $290 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 120% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $14.00 in Bushehr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $94.0 per month, with Bushehr cheaper across the board.

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 Bushehr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bushehr wins on cost – living expenses run 97% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bushehr the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 120% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $290 in Bushehr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bushehr runs roughly 322% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $49.12 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $509 in Bushehr versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bushehr but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bushehr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bushehr delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $509 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bushehr hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bushehr are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bushehr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.