Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Gabane

For one person, living is cheaper in Gabane: $117 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,900 less a year.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,692

/mo nomad

Gabane

🇧🇼 Botswana

$117

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Gabane

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 Gabane actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,692 per month in Medellin vs $117 in Gabane, rent included.

Medellin $1,692
Gabane $117

A couple spends around $2,471 per month in Medellin vs $162 in Gabane, rent included.

Medellin $2,471
Gabane $162

A family of three spends $3,249 per month in Medellin vs $208 in Gabane, rent included.

Medellin $3,249
Gabane $208

Medellin costs about 1347% more than Gabane.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Gabane is 91% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.34 COP 26.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.53 COP 150.2K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.47 COP 30.6K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 10.1K

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

$1.77 COP 5,702

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,599

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 COP 10.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 COP 18.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 COP 4,948

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 COP 7,397

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 COP 6,279

Eggs

$3.07 COP 9,900

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.99 COP 32.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.45 COP 33.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 COP 45.1K

Apples (1kg)

$4.05 COP 13.1K

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,934

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,794

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 COP 7,405

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 COP 6,810

Onion (1kg)

$1.71 COP 5,518

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,778

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,101

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.91 COP 12.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.04 COP 45.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 COP 5,688

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 COP 8,756

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,809

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 COP 246.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 COP 5,833

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,874

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.13 COP 26.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 COP 4,117

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

$34.4K COP 111.2M

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

$34.1K COP 110.2M

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

$178 COP 573.8K

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

$13.89 COP 44.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.74 COP 99.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 COP 135.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 COP 54.2K

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 COP 24.1K

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

$790 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K COP 39.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.3 COP 278.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 COP 191.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 446.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.8 COP 319.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,341 COP 4.3M

$161 P 2,161

734.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$667 COP 2.2M

$117 P 1,573

470.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,976 COP 6.4M

$299 P 4,029

559.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.3M

$208 P 2,798

396.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,098 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 COP 6.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$646 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Last update for Gabane: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$667 39.4%

Gabane

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$307 18.2%

Gabane

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$222 13.1%

Gabane

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$173 10.2%

Gabane

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$172 10.2%

Gabane

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$93 5.5%

Gabane

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$57 3.4%

Gabane

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,341 in Medellin versus $161 in Gabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇧🇼 Gabane

🕒 Local time

07:37 7:37 AM

14:37 2:37 PM

7 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

14,842

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Botswana Pula BWP P

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 BWP = 7.43 USD

100 BWP = 6.64 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BWP, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Botswana Pula exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 13.45 BWP (100 BWP = 7.43 USD). 1 EUR = 15.06 BWP (100 BWP = 6.64 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Gabane 11,450 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Gabane

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 Gabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 1347% more than Gabane, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,538 per month in Medellin and $175 in Gabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gabane, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $161 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gabane, where all-in costs run around $117, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Gabane 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 $117 in Gabane to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.