Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buzias Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Buzias

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,065 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,624 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,184 in Buzias, rent included.

Medellin costs about 58% more than Buzias, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Buzias is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$8.98 RON 41.15

-10.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$43.90 RON 201

9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.54 RON 34.55

31.17%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$3.28 RON 15.04

-4.57%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$2.21 RON 10.14

-13.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$1.90 RON 8.73

-20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$3.30 RON 15.14

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$4.21 RON 19.30

36.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.50 RON 6.89

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.16 RON 5.30

114.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.43 RON 6.53

23.78%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$3.58 RON 16.41

-17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.07 RON 36.98

24.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$6.34 RON 29.02

59.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$8.49 RON 38.88

68.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.25 RON 5.74

231.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.63 RON 7.46

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.57 RON 7.19

43.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$2.69 RON 12.32

-16.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.69 RON 3.15

195.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.64 RON 2.95

140.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$1.04 RON 4.77

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.96 RON 4.40

36.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$6.15 RON 28.18

-36.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$7.92 RON 36.30

76.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.98 RON 4.49

77.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.40 RON 6.42

105.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.75 RON 3.42

62.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$22.42 RON 103

258.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.98 RON 4.48

33.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.85 RON 3.88

157.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$8.60 RON 39.39

1.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.85 RON 8.46

-25.95%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$29.6K RON 135.4K

-5.81%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$26.6K RON 122.0K

34.33%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$121 RON 556

46.00%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.89 RON 45.31

40.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$12.97 RON 59.4

129.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$40.90 RON 187

9.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$21.33 RON 97.7

-19.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$7.04 RON 32.23

-5.54%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$474 RON 2,169

71.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$7,065 RON 32.4K

30.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$80.2 RON 367

11.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$33.95 RON 156

73.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$89.8 RON 411

53.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$95.5 RON 438

6.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$410 RON 1,877

159.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$302 RON 1,384

119.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$640 RON 2,933

194.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$478 RON 2,188

115.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,950 RON 8,931

114.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$1,382 RON 6,331

21.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.02

55.84%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Buzias: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $410 in Buzias. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $44.00 in Buzias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $206 – making Buzias the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Buzias: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,598 in Buzias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Buzias, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 259% less in Buzias. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $474 in Buzias. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Buzias, where all-in costs run around $1,065, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Buzias it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Buzias – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Buzias. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.