Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Byumba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Byumba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $369 in Byumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $612 in Byumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $855 in Byumba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 179% more than Byumba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Byumba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Byumba 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.19 RWF 6,125

47.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.68 RWF 40.5K

17.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.57 RWF 9,612

11.72%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.25 RWF 3,290

-23.56%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.81 RWF 1,179

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.51 RWF 751

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.02 RWF 1,486

65.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.05 RWF 3,004

54.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.70 RWF 1,025

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.08 RWF 1,573

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.25 RWF 1,823

12.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.71 RWF 2,505

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.00 RWF 5,857

9.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.43 RWF 6,471

32.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$3.64 RWF 5,317

137.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.48 RWF 3,623

-8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.98 RWF 1,438

13.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.42 RWF 2,081

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.13 RWF 1,655

19.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.51 RWF 747

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.81 RWF 1,186

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.47 RWF 687

80.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.80 RWF 1,164

13.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.76 RWF 2,581

32.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.02 RWF 14.7K

23.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.89 RWF 1,300

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.71 RWF 2,501

45.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.08 RWF 4,502

-53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.41 RWF 2,056

36.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$3.91 RWF 5,717

95.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.14 RWF 1,663

-13.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.6K RWF 38.9M

-32.20%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$30.3K RWF 44.3M

-12.17%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$47.35 RWF 69.2K

70.67%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.00 RWF 13.2K

10.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$17.77 RWF 26.0K

36.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.55 RWF 5,185

12.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$153 RWF 223.5K

99.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,179 RWF 7.6M

16.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.85 RWF 24.6K

244.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$19.38 RWF 28.3K

66.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$24.18 RWF 35.4K

316.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$31.27 RWF 45.7K

244.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$344 RWF 503.7K

38.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 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 12, 2026

Last update for Byumba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $344 in Byumba. 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 $28.00 in Byumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $147 – making Byumba 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 Byumba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 179% more than Byumba, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $554 in Byumba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $28.00 in Byumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Byumba, where all-in costs run around $369, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Byumba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Byumba costs $369 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Byumba. 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.