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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $499 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $772 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,046 in Bushehr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 104% more expensive than Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Bushehr 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.85 $5.85

1.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.02 $14.02

137.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.45 $3.45

109.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.01 $1.01

61.39%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.43 $0.43

153.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.20 $1.20

-39.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.48 $0.48

118.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.31 $0.31

316.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.60 $1.60

-17.50%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.01 $1.01

124.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$1.48 $1.48

193.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.97 $2.97

97.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.66 $9.66

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$0.58 $0.58

287.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.54 $1.54

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.93 $0.93

63.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.48 $0.48

195.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.48 $0.48

143.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.29 $0.29

303.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.68 $0.68

30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.24 $0.24

275.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.59 $0.59

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 $0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 $1.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.24 $2.24

0.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.19 $0.19

342.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.07 $10.07

316.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.29 $0.29

386.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.27 $0.27

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$1.74 $1.74

345.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.69 $0.69

46.38%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$61.2K $61.2K

-71.25%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$47.2K $47.2K

-43.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$19.98 $19.98

318.82%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$2.04 $2.04

363.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.71 $5.71

322.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$15.79 $15.79

60.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.35 $12.35

54.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.05 $2.05

100.00%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$50.9 $50.9

512.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$608 $608

885.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$23.52 $23.52

146.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$21.08 $21.08

54.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$73.6 $73.6

35.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$41.48 $41.48

161.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$286 $286

68.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$201 $201

88.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$320 $320

161.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$318 $318

127.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,158 $1,158

145.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$615 $615

98.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$285 $285

89.76%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bushehr: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $286 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 90% 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 $190 vs $93.0 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 104% 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.

Medellin pays 90% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $286 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 317% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $50.9 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $499 in Bushehr versus $1,017 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 $499 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 104% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.