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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $859 in Montana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,377 in Montana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,896 in Montana, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Montana, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Montana is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$9.70 BGN 16.13

-18.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$37.25 BGN 62.0

19.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$8.92 BGN 14.84

4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.49 BGN 2.48

94.63%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.38 BGN 2.30

31.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$1.11 BGN 1.85

39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.38 BGN 2.30

135.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.06 BGN 1.76

454.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.75 BGN 2.91

-21.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.05 BGN 1.75

133.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.11 BGN 3.51

-28.44%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.87 BGN 4.77

-3.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$10.23 BGN 17.02

-11.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.29 BGN 5.48

223.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$13.15 BGN 21.88

11.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.25 BGN 2.09

217.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.91 BGN 3.18

-27.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.76 BGN 2.93

30.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$2.76 BGN 4.59

-26.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.73 BGN 1.21

186.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.92 BGN 1.52

77.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.96 BGN 1.60

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.56 BGN 0.92

123.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$3.70 BGN 6.16

8.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.26 BGN 10.41

115.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$0.98 BGN 1.63

63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.21 BGN 2.01

147.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.91 BGN 1.51

29.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$25.47 BGN 42.36

213.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.66 BGN 1.10

143.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.49 BGN 0.81

334.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$10.79 BGN 17.95

-21.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.65 BGN 2.74

-18.18%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.9K BGN 33.1K

42.17%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$24.9K BGN 41.4K

43.42%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$102 BGN 170

48.11%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$19.60 BGN 32.61

-33.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$8.95 BGN 14.89

260.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$31.50 BGN 52.4

47.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$17.90 BGN 29.78

-3.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.67 BGN 9.43

13.40%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$529 BGN 880

57.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$5,664 BGN 9,422

56.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$70.9 BGN 118

25.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$42.85 BGN 71.3

29.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$99.8 BGN 166

36.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$107 BGN 179

1.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$220 BGN 366

333.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$165 BGN 275

304.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$409 BGN 680

394.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$317 BGN 527

262.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,384 BGN 2,303

167.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,098 BGN 1,827

44.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$1,045 BGN 1,738

-40.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

3.1

236.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Montana: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $220 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 67% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $37.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $207 – making Montana 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 96%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,288 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $37.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $859 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 $859, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.