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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $366 in Byumba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $605 in Byumba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $845 in Byumba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 177% more than Byumba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Byumba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Byumba 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.20 RWF 6,125

42.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$27.37 RWF 39.9K

20.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.78 RWF 9,898

4.57%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.23 RWF 3,259

-23.32%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.80 RWF 1,171

37.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.53 RWF 766

47.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.01 RWF 1,476

66.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.07 RWF 3,019

48.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.70 RWF 1,024

55.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.02 RWF 1,491

23.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.24 RWF 1,815

11.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.71 RWF 2,497

28.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.99 RWF 5,827

10.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.42 RWF 6,441

27.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$3.63 RWF 5,299

144.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.45 RWF 3,576

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.95 RWF 1,383

11.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.47 RWF 2,147

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.10 RWF 1,603

25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.48 RWF 696

139.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.80 RWF 1,173

45.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.50 RWF 735

78.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.81 RWF 1,181

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.69 RWF 2,465

34.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.11 RWF 14.8K

5.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.92 RWF 1,337

30.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.79 RWF 2,610

37.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$3.19 RWF 4,656

-53.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.44 RWF 2,103

36.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.90 RWF 5,688

98.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.15 RWF 1,671

-17.39%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$27.0K RWF 39.4M

-32.93%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$30.1K RWF 43.9M

-12.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$47.28 RWF 69.0K

73.96%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.05 RWF 13.2K

4.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$18.00 RWF 26.3K

34.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.50 RWF 5,100

12.29%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$157 RWF 228.6K

97.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,045 RWF 7.4M

18.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$16.88 RWF 24.6K

247.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$19.06 RWF 27.8K

69.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$24.77 RWF 36.1K

314.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$31.47 RWF 45.9K

244.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$341 RWF 498.1K

39.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Byumba: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $341 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 $27.00 in Byumba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $146 – 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 177% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $549 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 $27.00 in Byumba. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $366, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $366 versus $1,013 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.