Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cochabamba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cochabamba

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $764 in Cochabamba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,184 in Cochabamba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,605 in Cochabamba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 35% more expensive than in Cochabamba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Cochabamba 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.97 BOB 31.89

107.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.57 BOB 189

85.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.12 BOB 76.6

3.09%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.57 BOB 27.60

-33.07%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.68 BOB 7.28

54.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.62 BOB 6.66

24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.79 BOB 19.21

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.27 BOB 35.19

-3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.08 BOB 11.66

-2.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.46 BOB 15.69

-10.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.52 BOB 16.29

-7.89%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.74 BOB 18.70

24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.80 BOB 51.6

-8.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.47 BOB 37.27

69.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.28 BOB 78.3

18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.47 BOB 26.53

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.03 BOB 11.08

7.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.88 BOB 20.19

-18.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.64 BOB 17.58

-17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.76 BOB 18.92

-35.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.96 BOB 10.27

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.20 BOB 12.89

-29.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.00 BOB 10.75

-9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.57 BOB 27.65

-8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.42 BOB 90.5

46.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.24 BOB 24.04

-46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.69 BOB 39.72

-32.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 BOB 3.23

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.48 BOB 15.91

-4.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.48 BOB 15.96

29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.37 BOB 79.2

3.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.54 BOB 5.78

83.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.5K BOB 241.9K

-19.89%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$18.3K BOB 196.6K

45.61%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$46.48 BOB 500

73.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$22.52 BOB 242

-55.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$47.80 BOB 514

-49.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$46.80 BOB 503

-46.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$16.45 BOB 177

16.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.98 BOB 53.6

-20.08%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$250 BOB 2,692

21.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,418 BOB 47.5K

37.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.07 BOB 442

41.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$47.91 BOB 515

-32.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.2 BOB 765

41.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$94.7 BOB 1,018

13.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$306 BOB 3,286

55.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$191 BOB 2,058

96.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$494 BOB 5,315

70.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$371 BOB 3,983

97.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,211 BOB 13.0K

165.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$899 BOB 9,659

52.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$562 BOB 6,043

9.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.5

79.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cochabamba: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $306 in Cochabamba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Cochabamba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $186 per month, with Cochabamba cheaper across the board.

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 Cochabamba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cochabamba differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $764 including rent). Cochabamba is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $306 in Cochabamba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $764 in Cochabamba – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $764 in Cochabamba versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cochabamba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cochabamba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Cochabamba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.