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: $1,034 in Medellin versus $81.2 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $134 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $187 in Busia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 1172% 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

$5.92 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.34 UGX 1,275

211.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.35 UGX 5,012

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.65 UGX 6,116

36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$4.23 UGX 15.7K

108.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.77 UGX 10.3K

-19.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$0.82 UGX 3,033

67.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.70 UGX 6,313

-34.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.27 UGX 989

237.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.23 UGX 4,572

89.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$5.47 UGX 20.3K

103.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.14 UGX 4,234

4.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.41 UGX 5,236

68.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

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

$306 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Busia: April 27, 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 1172% 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 $1,550 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 137% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $81.2 in Busia – a 1172% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.2 in Busia versus $1,034 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 $81.2 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 1172% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.