Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minsk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Minsk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $881 in Minsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,359 in Minsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,837 in Minsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 15% more than Minsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Minsk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Minsk 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$9.44 BYN 26.42

-36.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$30.84 BYN 86.4

6.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$5.35 BYN 14.99

32.52%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.70 BYN 4.75

0.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.64 BYN 1.78

71.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.46 BYN 1.28

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.20 BYN 3.35

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.11 BYN 5.90

45.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.74 BYN 2.08

47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$0.60 BYN 1.68

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.23 BYN 3.45

12.20%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$1.29 BYN 3.62

69.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.47 BYN 18.12

-31.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$4.11 BYN 11.52

36.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$7.81 BYN 21.87

13.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$1.15 BYN 3.23

103.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.70 BYN 4.77

-37.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.81 BYN 5.08

-17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$2.48 BYN 6.94

-44.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.47 BYN 1.31

144.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$0.56 BYN 1.57

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$1.29 BYN 3.60

-31.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.58 BYN 1.64

44.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$1.86 BYN 5.21

22.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.11 BYN 25.50

16.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.99 BYN 2.77

21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.83 BYN 5.13

34.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.30 BYN 0.84

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$15.50 BYN 43.39

167.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.41 BYN 3.96

4.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.30 BYN 0.84

553.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$5.85 BYN 16.38

32.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$0.77 BYN 2.17

23.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$19.9K BYN 55.8K

-9.04%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$23.6K BYN 66.1K

12.13%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$54.0 BYN 151

52.40%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$7.58 BYN 21.21

25.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$10.56 BYN 29.55

129.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$30.71 BYN 86.0

-15.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$15.10 BYN 42.28

25.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.73 BYN 13.25

-16.91%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$303 BYN 849

2.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$10.3K BYN 28.9K

-42.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$50.8 BYN 142

15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$43.17 BYN 121

-25.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$113 BYN 316

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$97.2 BYN 272

11.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$471 BYN 1,320

1.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$315 BYN 882

20.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$846 BYN 2,370

-0.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$552 BYN 1,545

31.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,519 BYN 7,052

10.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,607 BYN 4,500

-24.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$945 BYN 2,647

-45.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

14.77

-9.07%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Minsk: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $471 in Minsk. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 85% higher in Minsk, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Minsk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $164 – making Minsk the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Minsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 15%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,322 in Minsk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Minsk, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Minsk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $881 in Minsk. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Minsk, where all-in costs run around $881, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Minsk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Minsk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Minsk. 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.