Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chittagong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Chittagong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $358 in Chittagong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $601 in Chittagong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $844 in Chittagong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 183% more than Chittagong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.65 ৳203

263.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$14.96 ৳1,835

119.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.20 ৳883

-1.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.88 ৳722

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ৳512

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.63 ৳200

4.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.36 ৳44.03

205.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.14 ৳16.60

457.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.78 ৳95.7

39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.57 ৳70.4

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.65 ৳79.2

112.31%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.22 ৳149

79.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.28 ৳1,139

-52.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$1.60 ৳197

251.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.25 ৳889

22.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.24 ৳275

4.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.96 ৳118

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.10 ৳258

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.80 ৳97.7

72.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.45 ৳54.9

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.89 ৳109

30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.41 ৳49.79

117.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.25 ৳30.41

236.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.59 ৳1,053

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ৳102

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ৳179

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.89 ৳354

-21.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.16 ৳20.03

437.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$4.12 ৳505

904.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.79 ৳97.1

86.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.43 ৳52.1

355.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.50 ৳306

209.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.01 ৳123

-5.94%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$33.1K ৳4.1M

-45.15%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-22.84%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$22.78 ৳2,794

261.06%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.77 ৳708

64.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$13.20 ৳1,619

83.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$15.43 ৳1,892

67.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$11.26 ৳1,381

68.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.35 ৳410

17.31%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$29.33 ৳3,597

954.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,343 ৳164.7K

344.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$20.49 ৳2,513

186.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$18.22 ৳2,235

77.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$52.0 ৳6,382

97.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$33.34 ৳4,089

225.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$131 ৳16.0K

264.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$59.5 ৳7,294

537.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$243 ৳29.8K

245.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$148 ৳18.2K

388.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$805 ৳98.8K

246.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$462 ৳56.7K

162.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$264 ৳32.4K

94.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.67

15.08%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chittagong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $131 in Chittagong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 94% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Chittagong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $116 – making Chittagong 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 Chittagong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $358 in Chittagong – roughly 183% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $537 in Chittagong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $358 in Chittagong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 905% less in Chittagong. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chittagong, where all-in costs run around $358, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Chittagong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $358 in Chittagong to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Chittagong. 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.