Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nis Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,029 in Nis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,531 in Nis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,033 in Nis, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% cheaper than Nis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Nis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Nis 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.52 RSD 765

-21.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$29.69 RSD 3,020

11.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$9.74 RSD 991

-23.72%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.98 RSD 201

-16.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.83 RSD 186

-39.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.24 RSD 126

-37.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.53 RSD 257

-32.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.01 RSD 306

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.27 RSD 130

-13.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.75 RSD 76.3

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.80 RSD 183

-23.33%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.38 RSD 242

-8.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.87 RSD 801

-42.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$6.88 RSD 700

-15.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.51 RSD 1,170

-22.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.18 RSD 120

96.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.80 RSD 183

-41.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.51 RSD 153

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.79 RSD 182

-24.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.07 RSD 108

5.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.08 RSD 110

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.60 RSD 60.8

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.58 RSD 58.8

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$4.20 RSD 427

-46.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.69 RSD 579

113.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.75 RSD 76.6

58.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.06 RSD 210

20.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.78 RSD 79.3

8.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$26.17 RSD 2,661

59.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.45 RSD 148

-2.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.43 RSD 43.30

353.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$7.02 RSD 714

12.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.77 RSD 180

-44.07%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$31.2K RSD 3.2M

-43.54%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-0.44%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$141 RSD 14.3K

-41.00%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$16.79 RSD 1,708

-42.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$22.17 RSD 2,255

6.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$29.18 RSD 2,968

-13.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$18.66 RSD 1,898

2.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$4.93 RSD 501

-19.88%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$233 RSD 23.7K

35.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$5,098 RSD 518.5K

17.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$90.5 RSD 9,208

-33.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$46.09 RSD 4,687

-30.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$95.6 RSD 9,720

6.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$101 RSD 10.3K

6.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$407 RSD 41.4K

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$292 RSD 29.7K

28.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$558 RSD 56.7K

52.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$414 RSD 42.1K

73.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$2,550 RSD 259.4K

28.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,885 RSD 191.7K

-23.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$903 RSD 91.9K

-30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.45

80.27%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Nis: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $407 in Nis. 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 45% higher in Nis, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $30.00 in Nis. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $195 in Nis – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Nis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Nis is pricier by about 3%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,543 in Nis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Nis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $1,029 in Nis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Nis at $1,029. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Nis it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Nis makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.