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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,136 in Buzias, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,736 in Buzias, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,336 in Buzias, rent included.

Medellin is about 9% cheaper than Buzias, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Buzias are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Buzias 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$11.50 RON 50.1

-48.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$58.6 RON 256

-44.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.96 RON 34.71

-9.55%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.36 RON 14.64

-49.40%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.41 RON 10.49

-54.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$2.23 RON 9.74

-67.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.15 RON 13.74

-46.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.97 RON 17.30

-21.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.79 RON 7.81

-40.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.35 RON 5.87

-7.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.80 RON 7.84

-22.78%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.22 RON 14.06

-29.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$9.77 RON 42.58

-55.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$7.02 RON 30.61

-16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$11.80 RON 51.5

-25.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$1.24 RON 5.40

80.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.80 RON 7.85

-40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.64 RON 7.16

-6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.39 RON 10.44

-42.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$0.97 RON 4.22

16.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$0.98 RON 4.27

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.09 RON 4.74

-22.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.95 RON 4.16

-4.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.52 RON 28.41

-64.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.89 RON 34.42

41.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.17 RON 5.10

1.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.04 RON 8.91

16.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.67 RON 2.91

17.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$19.42 RON 84.7

111.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.99 RON 4.33

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.87 RON 3.81

119.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$9.30 RON 40.54

-13.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.71 RON 7.46

-45.03%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.3K RON 123.5K

-36.73%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$26.2K RON 114.2K

2.32%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$160 RON 697

-47.44%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$8.72 RON 38.01

10.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$10.04 RON 43.76

140.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$41.04 RON 179

-36.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$19.10 RON 83.3

-0.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$8.03 RON 35.00

-51.18%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$492 RON 2,146

-37.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$10.8K RON 47.1K

-45.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$70.9 RON 309

-18.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$39.97 RON 174

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$84.1 RON 366

18.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$98.2 RON 428

9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$396 RON 1,725

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$291 RON 1,270

26.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$588 RON 2,563

40.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$432 RON 1,884

65.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,949 RON 8,496

50.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,534 RON 6,688

-8.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Buzias: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $396 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 $59.0 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 10%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,705 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 112% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $492 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 $1,034, than in Buzias at $1,136. 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.