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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,123 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,736 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in Buzias, rent included.

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Buzias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Buzias 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$11.46 RON 51.6

-47.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$57.3 RON 258

-42.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$8.24 RON 37.13

-9.95%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$3.49 RON 15.70

-52.72%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$2.39 RON 10.75

-55.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$2.16 RON 9.71

-64.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$3.18 RON 14.33

-45.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.01 RON 18.08

-20.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$1.78 RON 8.00

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.31 RON 5.89

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$1.81 RON 8.14

-25.97%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$3.41 RON 15.34

-35.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$10.01 RON 45.09

-55.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$6.96 RON 31.36

-18.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$11.72 RON 52.8

-27.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.24 RON 5.58

88.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.78 RON 7.99

-37.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.62 RON 7.29

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.34 RON 10.52

-41.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$0.96 RON 4.31

19.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$0.98 RON 4.43

20.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$1.03 RON 4.63

-18.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.94 RON 4.22

-8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$6.38 RON 28.72

-64.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$8.35 RON 37.63

38.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$1.13 RON 5.07

6.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.98 RON 8.90

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.67 RON 3.01

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$20.09 RON 90.5

103.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$0.99 RON 4.47

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.83 RON 3.74

131.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$9.52 RON 42.89

-18.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.63 RON 7.35

-38.04%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$28.1K RON 126.7K

-37.26%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$26.8K RON 120.6K

-1.20%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$159 RON 717

-49.04%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$8.74 RON 39.36

7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$10.07 RON 45.37

136.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$42.10 RON 190

-38.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$18.87 RON 85.0

-0.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$8.12 RON 36.55

-49.63%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$493 RON 2,219

-36.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$10.7K RON 48.3K

-43.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$70.5 RON 318

-15.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$39.80 RON 179

-19.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$83.9 RON 378

20.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$101 RON 454

4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$388 RON 1,747

25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$293 RON 1,319

24.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$582 RON 2,620

42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$436 RON 1,965

67.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,945 RON 8,758

53.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,387 RON 6,247

-5.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.85

129.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Buzias: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $388 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $57.0 in Buzias. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $233 – making Medellin 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 – Buzias is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,685 in Buzias. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 103% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $315 per month in Medellin and $493 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,028, than in Buzias at $1,123. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buzias it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Buzias makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.