Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Busia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Busia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Medellin versus $81.3 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $134 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $186 in Busia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1165% more expensive than Busia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Busia 94% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.31 UGX 1,163

238.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.42 UGX 5,245

-7.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.62 UGX 5,999

35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$4.15 UGX 15.4K

105.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

-14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$0.81 UGX 2,983

69.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.64 UGX 6,078

-28.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.27 UGX 991

218.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.26 UGX 4,678

79.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$5.49 UGX 20.3K

111.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.09 UGX 4,026

10.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.43 UGX 5,292

73.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

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

$315 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Busia: June 14, 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 Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 1165% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,542 in Medellin and $122 in Busia 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 138% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $81.3 in Busia – a 1165% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.3 in Busia versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Busia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $81.3 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busia hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Busia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1165% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.