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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $375 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $602 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $828 in Butare.

Living in Medellin is roughly 337% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Butare is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$2.79 RWF 4,093

188.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

60.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

35.93%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.42 RWF 3,544

21.49%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$0.75 RWF 1,104

148.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.56 RWF 819

160.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.04 RWF 1,532

208.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$2.33 RWF 3,412

145.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$0.33 RWF 482

336.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.84 RWF 1,238

185.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.93 RWF 1,364

82.80%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.59 RWF 2,326

81.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$1.74 RWF 2,551

478.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$2.35 RWF 3,446

324.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$3.10 RWF 4,542

358.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.08 RWF 3,055

91.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$0.92 RWF 1,352

71.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.12 RWF 1,640

91.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$0.78 RWF 1,147

194.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.40 RWF 584

400.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.26 RWF 379

480.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.14 RWF 199

757.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.86 RWF 1,254

48.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.06 RWF 3,023

86.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

38.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.02 RWF 1,489

67.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.51 RWF 2,214

81.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.66 RWF 3,909

-50.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.99 RWF 2,918

9.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$3.44 RWF 5,044

140.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.71 RWF 2,504

-20.47%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

3.32%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

22.93%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

103.94%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

92.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

34.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$3.46 RWF 5,077

92.20%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$113 RWF 165.2K

613.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

-1.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

402.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

282.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

524.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

202.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

16.2

-32.47%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $113 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 337% 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 $2,462 in Medellin and $563 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 165% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $375 in Butare – a 337% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,641 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 $375 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 337% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.