Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Butare Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Butare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $461 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $721 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $981 in Butare.

Living in Medellin is roughly 118% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Butare 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$1.70 RWF 2,491

247.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$21.17 RWF 31.0K

55.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$5.56 RWF 8,136

33.63%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.72 RWF 2,511

-4.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.58 RWF 844

89.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.36 RWF 529

116.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.67 RWF 982

156.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$1.06 RWF 1,554

200.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$0.40 RWF 582

175.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.96 RWF 1,407

31.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.95 RWF 1,394

45.26%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$1.43 RWF 2,090

52.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$2.26 RWF 3,310

98.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.11 RWF 4,555

86.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$2.70 RWF 3,951

232.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.33 RWF 3,415

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$0.88 RWF 1,292

20.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.12 RWF 1,645

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$0.72 RWF 1,057

88.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$0.34 RWF 501

232.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$0.43 RWF 636

172.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.38 RWF 552

136.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.57 RWF 840

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.25 RWF 1,834

78.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$10.40 RWF 15.2K

16.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$0.91 RWF 1,332

30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$1.36 RWF 1,993

82.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.29 RWF 429

193.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$9.94 RWF 14.5K

318.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$2.11 RWF 3,081

-32.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.92 RWF 1,350

111.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$3.73 RWF 5,463

111.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$0.74 RWF 1,076

33.78%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$16.8K RWF 24.6M

4.51%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$8,546 RWF 12.5M

213.57%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$36.66 RWF 53.6K

126.43%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$9.03 RWF 13.2K

7.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.19 RWF 26.6K

29.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$25.43 RWF 37.2K

-0.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$5.41 RWF 7,920

253.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$3.45 RWF 5,047

14.49%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$93.6 RWF 137.0K

237.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$1,373 RWF 2.0M

335.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$13.69 RWF 20.0K

338.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$19.70 RWF 28.8K

61.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$24.46 RWF 35.8K

315.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$30.75 RWF 45.0K

249.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$207 RWF 303.4K

129.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$140 RWF 204.4K

167.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$316 RWF 462.3K

168.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$239 RWF 349.8K

200.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

16.2

-17.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Butare: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $207 in Butare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $117 per month, with Butare 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 Butare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 118% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $691 in Butare 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $207 in Butare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Butare – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $461 in Butare – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $461 in Butare versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $461 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.