😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,589 in Medellin versus $330 in Madaripur.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,364 in Medellin versus $534 in Madaripur.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,139 in Medellin versus $738 in Madaripur.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 381% more expensive than in Madaripur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Madaripur is 75% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.01COP 25.6K
$1.18৳145
578.81%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.55COP 149.1K
$12.32৳1,514
277.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.43COP 30.2K
$5.17৳635
82.40%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.57৳316
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.98৳489
-
Cappuccino
$2.91COP 9,326
$2.01৳247
44.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75COP 5,614
$0.36৳44.78
386.11%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32COP 4,241
$0.14৳17.65
842.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.13COP 10.0K
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.55COP 17.8K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.41COP 4,519
$0.81৳99.1
74.07%
White Bread(500g)
$2.44COP 7,818
$0.56৳69.1
335.71%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63COP 5,218
$0.64৳78.1
154.69%
Eggs
$2.82COP 9,038
$1.15৳142
145.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.69COP 31.1K
$7.45৳915
30.07%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.32COP 29.8K
$2.05৳252
354.63%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.46COP 43.1K
$7.22৳887
86.43%
Apples(1kg)
$4.00COP 12.8K
$2.36৳290
69.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.48COP 4,744
$0.84৳103
76.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.12COP 6,804
$2.07৳254
2.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,216
$0.82৳100
174.39%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91COP 6,124
$0.43৳53.3
344.19%
Onion(1kg)
$1.62COP 5,188
$0.80৳97.7
102.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.15COP 3,677
$0.46৳56.7
150.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.26COP 4,043
$0.30৳36.77
320.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$8.84৳1,085
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.79৳96.8
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.48৳182
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82COP 12.2K
$3.01৳370
26.91%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.11COP 42.0K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60COP 5,110
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26COP 7,226
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.17COP 3,751
$0.40৳49.01
192.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$75.0COP 240.3K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.27COP 4,077
$0.84৳103
51.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.05COP 6,566
$0.59৳72.4
247.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.20COP 26.3K
$2.80৳344
192.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27COP 4,067
$1.05৳129
20.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8KCOP 85.8M
$32.9K৳4.0M
-18.60%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.4KCOP 110.2M
$43.8K৳5.4M
-21.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$162COP 519.6K
$30.48৳3,743
432.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.12COP 42.0K
$5.37৳660
144.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.09COP 90.0K
$12.13৳1,490
131.57%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$44.33COP 142.0K
$13.78৳1,692
221.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33COP 52.3K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.09COP 19.5K
$3.74৳459
62.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$764COP 2.4M
$36.24৳4,450
2009.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,904COP 28.5M
$1,478৳181.5K
502.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$85.0COP 272.2K
$16.16৳1,985
425.80%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5COP 184.1K
$19.69৳2,417
191.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$132COP 422.1K
$20.07৳2,465
556.50%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.8COP 306.7K
$35.36৳4,342
170.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,028COP 3.3M
$86.9৳10.7K
1083.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$604COP 1.9M
$52.2৳6,415
1057.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,802COP 5.8M
$169৳20.8K
963.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$993COP 3.2M
$116৳14.3K
753.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,921COP 12.6M
$707৳86.9K
454.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,639COP 5.2M
$1,936৳237.7K
-15.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Madaripur
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$626COP 2.0M
$162৳19.9K
287.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.94
11.32
-3.36%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026
Last update for Madaripur: October 4, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Medellin and $89.0 in Madaripur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 292% 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: $47.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Madaripur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $114 per month, with Madaripur 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 Madaripur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Medellin and in Madaripur?
Medellin and Madaripur differ by about 381% in total monthly costs ($1,589 vs $330 including rent). Madaripur is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Medellin or Madaripur?
Average pay runs 292% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Madaripur?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,028 in Medellin versus $89.0 in Madaripur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Medellin and Madaripur?
Childcare runs $764 in Medellin versus $36.13 in Madaripur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Madaripur – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $47.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $330 in Madaripur versus $1,589 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Madaripur but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Madaripur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Madaripur?
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.
Where should expats move: Medellin or Madaripur?
Expats usually find Madaripur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 381% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.