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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $861 in Minsk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,364 in Minsk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,867 in Minsk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Minsk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Minsk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Minsk 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.16 BYN 26.39

-32.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.21 BYN 89.9

4.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.35 BYN 15.40

37.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.70 BYN 4.89

1.18%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.65 BYN 1.86

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.42 BYN 1.22

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.25 BYN 3.60

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.19 BYN 6.29

44.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.73 BYN 2.11

43.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.58 BYN 1.66

124.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.19 BYN 3.42

17.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.35 BYN 3.88

60.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.42 BYN 18.48

-31.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.10 BYN 11.79

43.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.07 BYN 23.25

7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.17 BYN 3.36

94.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.72 BYN 4.94

-35.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.75 BYN 5.05

-12.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.53 BYN 7.28

-46.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.47 BYN 1.35

140.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.61 BYN 1.76

85.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.35 BYN 3.88

-37.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 BYN 1.58

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.82 BYN 5.25

28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.79 BYN 25.32

40.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.00 BYN 2.87

20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.73 BYN 4.98

43.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.30 BYN 0.85

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$15.77 BYN 45.43

157.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.41 BYN 4.05

0.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.30 BYN 0.86

540.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.72 BYN 16.48

33.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.73 BYN 2.09

35.62%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$20.2K BYN 58.1K

-10.57%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.3K BYN 70.0K

9.52%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$53.3 BYN 153

51.61%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$7.44 BYN 21.43

33.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.33 BYN 29.74

134.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$31.32 BYN 90.2

-19.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.79 BYN 42.60

29.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.57 BYN 13.17

-12.91%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$305 BYN 878

0.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$10.3K BYN 29.6K

-41.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$50.3 BYN 145

15.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.31 BYN 125

-25.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 BYN 329

-11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$97.4 BYN 280

10.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$477 BYN 1,374

-0.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$316 BYN 911

18.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$846 BYN 2,437

-0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$557 BYN 1,604

31.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,555 BYN 7,358

25.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,637 BYN 4,714

-16.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$944 BYN 2,719

-34.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Minsk: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $477 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 53% 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: $193 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 20%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,292 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $861 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 $861, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.