Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Montana

For one person, living is cheaper in Montana: $833 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Montana
🇧🇬 Bulgaria
$833
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Montana

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Montana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Montana, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Montana $833

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,339 in Montana, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Montana $1,339

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,846 in Montana, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Montana $1,846

Medellin costs about 94% more than Montana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Montana is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$9.04 BGN 15.83
-12.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.7K
$36.16 BGN 63.3
27.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.2K
$9.85 BGN 17.24
-3.55%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,897
$1.39 BGN 2.43
123.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,818
$1.38 BGN 2.42
32.61%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,374
$1.11 BGN 1.94
24.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,702
$1.28 BGN 2.24
138.28%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.5K
$1.01 BGN 1.77
444.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,614
$1.69 BGN 2.96
-14.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,519
$1.00 BGN 1.76
136.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,345
$2.10 BGN 3.68
-20.00%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,106
$2.72 BGN 4.77
5.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.4K
$9.73 BGN 17.03
4.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.3K
$3.25 BGN 5.68
193.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.7K
$12.63 BGN 22.10
11.16%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$1.21 BGN 2.12
236.36%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,757
$1.78 BGN 3.12
-15.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,913
$1.76 BGN 3.07
23.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,333
$2.56 BGN 4.49
-9.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,132
$0.70 BGN 1.23
175.71%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,212
$0.93 BGN 1.62
76.34%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,582
$0.90 BGN 1.58
25.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,966
$0.49 BGN 0.86
155.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.7K
$3.68 BGN 6.44
8.42%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.5K
$6.31 BGN 11.04
111.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,400
$0.89 BGN 1.55
91.01%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,549
$1.12 BGN 1.97
111.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Montana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,839
$0.89 BGN 1.56
35.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 243.3K
$24.29 BGN 42.50
214.90%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,193
$0.66 BGN 1.15
100.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,795
$0.47 BGN 0.83
355.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.9K
$10.36 BGN 18.12
-18.24%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,127
$1.58 BGN 2.76
-17.72%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 89.0M
$19.6K BGN 34.3K
42.80%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.6M
$23.7K BGN 41.5K
49.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 547.3K
$99.8 BGN 175
72.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.5K
$18.72 BGN 32.77
-28.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.4K
$8.52 BGN 14.90
237.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.9K
$29.86 BGN 52.3
51.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.2K
$17.20 BGN 30.10
-0.93%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 20.0K
$5.31 BGN 9.29
18.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$522 BGN 914
47.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.7M
$5,479 BGN 9,589
64.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.8K
$67.8 BGN 119
27.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.7K
$42.05 BGN 73.6
35.86%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 434.3K
$94.7 BGN 166
44.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 311.4K
$105 BGN 183
-6.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Montana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.4M
$214 BGN 374
393.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$160 BGN 280
284.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$404 BGN 707
368.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.3M
$304 BGN 532
236.66%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$1,329 BGN 2,326
205.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$1,078 BGN 1,886
55.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Montana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$992 BGN 1,737
-34.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.1
252.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Montana: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Montana
$160 74% $456
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Montana
$199 32.5% $96
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Montana
$127 40.7% $87
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Montana
$139 18.2% $31
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Montana
$137 18.7% $31
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Montana
$31 66.9% $62
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Montana
$40 30% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $214 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 52% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Montana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $199 – making Montana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇬 Montana
🕒 Local time
14:06 2:06 PM
22:06 10:06 PM
8 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
44,502
💱 Currency
Bulgarian Lev BGN лв.
Exchange rates and currency converter

BGN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 3,181 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,564 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Bulgarian Lev exchange rates as of October 14, 2026: 1 USD = 1.75 BGN (1 BGN = 0.571 USD). 1 EUR = 1.96 BGN (1 BGN = 0.51 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Montana 10,240 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Montana

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Montana cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 94%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,250 in Montana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Montana?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Montana. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Montana?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $833 in Montana. That's a gap of about 94%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Montana?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Montana, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Montana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Montana more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?