Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Francistown

For one person, living is cheaper in Francistown: $311 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
Francistown
🇧🇼 Botswana
$311
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Francistown

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Francistown actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $311 in Francistown, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,589
  • Francistown $311

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $513 in Francistown, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,364
  • Francistown $513

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $715 in Francistown, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,139
  • Francistown $715

Medellin costs about 411% more than Francistown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Francistown is 77% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01 COP 25.5K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55 COP 148.3K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.43 COP 30.1K
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.91 COP 9,277
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 COP 5,585
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 COP 4,218
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.13 COP 9,969
$1.44 P 19.23
117.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55 COP 17.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.41 COP 4,495
$1.30 P 17.48
8.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.44 COP 7,777
$0.63 P 8.47
287.30%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.63 COP 5,191
-
-
Eggs
$2.82 COP 8,990
$1.86 P 24.95
51.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.69 COP 30.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.32 COP 29.7K
$6.09 P 81.7
53.04%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.46 COP 42.9K
$6.41 P 86.0
109.98%
Apples (1kg)
$4.00 COP 12.8K
$1.08 P 14.45
270.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.48 COP 4,719
$1.45 P 19.38
2.07%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.12 COP 6,768
$1.49 P 19.92
42.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.25 COP 7,178
$1.35 P 18.08
66.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 COP 6,092
$1.57 P 21.04
21.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.62 COP 5,160
$1.45 P 19.42
11.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,658
$0.94 P 12.60
22.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26 COP 4,021
$0.82 P 11.01
53.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82 COP 12.2K
$5.66 P 75.8
-32.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.11 COP 41.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60 COP 5,083
$1.48 P 19.88
8.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,188
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,731
$0.61 P 8.21
91.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,056
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,531
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.20 COP 26.1K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 COP 4,046
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K COP 85.3M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4K COP 109.6M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$162 COP 516.9K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12 COP 41.8K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09 COP 89.5K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.33 COP 141.2K
$29.68 P 398
49.36%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 COP 52.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09 COP 19.4K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$764 COP 2.4M
$112 P 1,495
585.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,904 COP 28.4M
$1,762 P 23.6K
405.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0 COP 270.8K
$59.6 P 799
42.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 COP 183.2K
$32.35 P 433
77.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$132 COP 419.8K
$110 P 1,480
19.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8 COP 305.1K
$110 P 1,471
-12.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$604 COP 1.9M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,802 COP 5.7M
$408 P 5,463
341.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$993 COP 3.2M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,639 COP 5.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Francistown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$626 COP 2.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Francistown: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$604
Francistown
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$288
Francistown
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$203
Francistown
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$166
Francistown
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$166
Francistown
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$91
Francistown
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$57
Francistown
–
Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇼 Francistown
🕒 Local time
08:06 8:06 AM
15:06 3:06 PM
7 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
100,079
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,571 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 13.4 BWP (100 BWP = 7.46 USD). 1 EUR = 15.02 BWP (100 BWP = 6.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Francistown 11,610 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Francistown

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Francistown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Francistown compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Medellin, $311 in Francistown – roughly 411% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Francistown?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $467 in Francistown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Francistown?
Kindergarten costs $764 per month in Medellin and $112 in Francistown. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Francistown?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,589 in Medellin and $311 in Francistown. That's a gap of about 411%.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Francistown, where all-in costs run around $311, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Francistown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Francistown?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $311 in Francistown to $1,589 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Medellin or Francistown safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Medellin and Francistown?
If budget matters most, go with Francistown. 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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?