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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $498 in Bushehr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $776 in Bushehr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,054 in Bushehr.

Living in Medellin is roughly 237% more expensive than in Bushehr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bushehr is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$4.59 $4.59

74.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$13.22 $13.22

262.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$4.04 $4.04

144.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.02 $1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.16 $1.16

169.83%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$0.62 $0.62

208.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.87 $0.87

73.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$0.49 $0.49

193.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$0.29 $0.29

758.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.77 $1.77

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$1.02 $1.02

190.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$1.53 $1.53

558.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$2.96 $2.96

241.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$9.99 $9.99

43.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$0.62 $0.62

567.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$1.46 $1.46

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.94 $0.94

139.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$0.52 $0.52

332.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$0.52 $0.52

292.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$0.31 $0.31

396.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$0.51 $0.51

129.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.18 $0.18

627.78%

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)

$1.54 $1.54

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.05 $3.05

27.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.18 $0.18

577.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

$7.43 $7.43

983.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$0.42 $0.42

211.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$0.31 $0.31

606.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

$3.46 $3.46

151.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$0.08 $0.08

1612.50%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$59.7K $59.7K

-53.34%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$47.9K $47.9K

-25.27%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$20.20 $20.20

777.72%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$1.57 $1.57

784.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$3.62 $3.62

720.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$18.11 $18.11

147.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

$13.74 $13.74

24.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$2.04 $2.04

225.98%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$50.1 $50.1

1521.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

$608 $608

1411.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$22.32 $22.32

300.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$18.07 $18.07

226.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$96.0 $96.0

43.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

$55.6 $55.6

83.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$289 $289

268.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$205 $205

223.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$322 $322

486.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$339 $339

202.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,158 $1,158

261.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$587 $587

185.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$280 $280

142.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

23.8

-54.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bushehr: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $289 in Bushehr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 142% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $13.00 in Bushehr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 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 237% 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 142% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $289 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 983% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $50.1 in Bushehr. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $498 in Bushehr versus $1,681 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 $498 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 237% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.