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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $296 in Cox's Bazar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $512 in Cox's Bazar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $728 in Cox's Bazar.

Living in Medellin is roughly 239% more expensive than in Cox's Bazar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Cox's Bazar 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$1.59 ৳197

271.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$12.43 ৳1,536

165.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$3.02 ৳373

146.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 ৳713

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 ৳300

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.66 ৳205

-0.60%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.38 ৳47.57

189.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.13 ৳16.07

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.73 ৳89.9

50.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.47 ৳58.1

168.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.48 ৳59.8

187.50%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.01 ৳125

115.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.89 ৳1,098

-49.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$1.69 ৳209

242.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.03 ৳869

27.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.29 ৳283

1.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.96 ৳119

10.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.62 ৳200

-6.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.34 ৳42.48

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.20 ৳24.42

465.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.38 ৳47.37

207.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.41 ৳50.5

119.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.25 ৳30.83

260.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.74 ৳956

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 ৳311

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 ৳419

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.89 ৳233

17.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.22 ৳27.21

286.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$10.19 ৳1,260

308.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.30 ৳37.16

373.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.36 ৳44.01

441.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.50 ৳309

215.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.06 ৳131

-6.60%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$32.6K ৳4.0M

-45.95%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$34.3K ৳4.2M

-21.80%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$12.45 ৳1,539

566.75%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$2.59 ৳320

274.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$11.58 ৳1,431

103.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$16.15 ৳1,995

56.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$11.93 ৳1,474

60.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$2.42 ৳299

63.22%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$25.10 ৳3,101

1158.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$1,356 ৳167.6K

340.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$20.51 ৳2,534

192.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$18.26 ৳2,256

74.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$32.61 ৳4,029

211.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$33.22 ৳4,105

223.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$68.9 ৳8,511

589.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$41.82 ৳5,168

794.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$311 ৳38.4K

172.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$98.3 ৳12.1K

631.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$354 ৳43.7K

822.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$264 ৳32.6K

445.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$287 ৳35.4K

117.71%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cox's Bazar: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $68.9 in Cox's Bazar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 118% 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 $193 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 239% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $296 including rent). Cox's Bazar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 118% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $68.9 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 308% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $25.10 in Cox's Bazar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $296 in Cox's Bazar versus $1,003 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 239% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.