Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montana Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $842 in Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,323 in Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,805 in Montana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 20% more than Montana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Montana are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Montana 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.45 BGN 17.38

-42.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$34.87 BGN 58.0

-5.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.92 BGN 13.18

-10.48%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.46 BGN 2.44

17.12%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.38 BGN 2.29

-20.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.87 BGN 1.45

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.32 BGN 2.20

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.04 BGN 1.73

195.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.70 BGN 2.83

-35.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.00 BGN 1.66

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.81 BGN 3.02

-23.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.65 BGN 4.40

-17.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.49 BGN 15.79

-53.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.25 BGN 5.41

73.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$12.84 BGN 21.36

-30.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.26 BGN 2.10

85.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.62 BGN 4.36

-59.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.99 BGN 3.31

-24.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.10 BGN 3.50

-34.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.84 BGN 1.39

36.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.74 BGN 1.23

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.36 BGN 2.26

-34.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.51 BGN 0.85

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$3.55 BGN 5.91

-35.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.90 BGN 9.81

80.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.91 BGN 1.51

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.71 BGN 2.85

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.92 BGN 1.53

-6.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$35.97 BGN 59.9

15.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.67 BGN 1.11

119.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.43 BGN 0.72

355.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.60 BGN 17.63

-26.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-37.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$20.1K BGN 33.5K

-9.88%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.4K BGN 40.6K

8.64%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$99.0 BGN 165

-16.94%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.04 BGN 28.35

-44.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$8.88 BGN 14.78

172.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$20.79 BGN 34.58

24.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$9.07 BGN 15.09

109.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.68 BGN 9.45

-30.81%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$324 BGN 539

-4.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,558 BGN 9,246

7.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$52.9 BGN 87.9

10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$29.33 BGN 48.79

10.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$72.5 BGN 121

41.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$106 BGN 177

2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$223 BGN 371

113.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$164 BGN 273

131.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$414 BGN 688

102.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$305 BGN 507

137.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,352 BGN 2,249

106.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,090 BGN 1,813

11.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,036 BGN 1,723

-50.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.2

319.69%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Montana: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $223 in Montana. 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 102% higher in Montana, 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 $35.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $204 – making Medellin 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 Montana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 20%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,263 in Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Montana, 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 $35.00 in Montana. 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 $842 in Montana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Montana, where all-in costs run around $842, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Montana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Montana. 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.