Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cox's Bazar Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cox's Bazar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $302 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $515 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $727 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 236% more expensive than Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Cox's Bazar 77% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$1.62 ৳199

267.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$12.15 ৳1,488

174.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.16 ৳388

128.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.89 ৳721

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 ৳307

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.61 ৳198

1.24%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.36 ৳44.06

202.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.12 ৳14.29

508.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.72 ৳88.7

45.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.48 ৳58.6

168.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.45 ৳54.8

193.33%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.05 ৳128

116.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.29 ৳1,138

-53.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$1.61 ৳197

265.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.78 ৳831

26.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.25 ৳275

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.96 ৳118

11.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.70 ৳208

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.34 ৳42.21

317.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.16 ৳19.94

631.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.39 ৳47.71

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.40 ৳49.55

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.27 ৳33.32

233.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.20 ৳760

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 ৳310

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 ৳421

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.96 ৳240

14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.20 ৳24.50

320.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$10.19 ৳1,249

311.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.28 ৳34.12

403.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.39 ৳47.54

387.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.49 ৳305

211.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.06 ৳130

-4.72%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$33.3K ৳4.1M

-47.16%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$33.8K ৳4.1M

-21.55%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$12.10 ৳1,483

591.57%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$2.63 ৳322

259.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$11.54 ৳1,414

108.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$16.73 ৳2,050

51.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.63 ৳1,425

64.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$2.34 ৳287

75.21%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$24.63 ৳3,018

1166.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,360 ৳166.7K

340.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$20.65 ৳2,530

181.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$18.23 ৳2,234

78.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$32.91 ৳4,033

202.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$33.61 ৳4,119

222.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$69.2 ৳8,473

597.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$41.96 ৳5,141

804.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$311 ৳38.1K

169.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$97.3 ৳11.9K

643.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$763 ৳93.6K

271.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$266 ৳32.7K

358.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$288 ৳35.2K

88.07%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $69.2 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 88% 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 $12.00 in Cox's Bazar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $106 per month, with Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Cox's Bazar differ by about 236% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $302 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 88% more on average, 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: $482 in Medellin versus $69.2 in Cox's Bazar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Cox's Bazar runs roughly 312% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $24.63 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $302 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cox's Bazar but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cox's Bazar 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 Cox's Bazar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 236% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.