😐A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $306 in Rajshahi, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $498 in Rajshahi, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $690 in Rajshahi, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 227% more than Rajshahi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both Medellin and Rajshahi are more affordable than the global median – Medellin25% lower, Rajshahi77% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.91COP 18.6K
$0.80৳98.4
638.75%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96COP 103.8K
$8.81৳1,089
274.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.43COP 23.4K
$2.79৳344
166.31%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.12৳509
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.34৳289
-
Cappuccino
$1.65COP 5,207
$1.46৳181
13.01%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,468
$0.32৳39.31
243.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78COP 2,458
$0.19৳23.44
310.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.72COP 5,412
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18COP 10.0K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.10COP 3,474
$0.70৳86.1
57.14%
White Bread(500g)
$1.26COP 3,962
$0.69৳85.4
82.61%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,349
$0.62৳76.3
122.58%
Eggs
$2.18COP 6,858
$1.11৳137
96.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.49COP 14.1K
$6.64৳820
-32.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.79COP 18.2K
$3.44৳425
68.31%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.97COP 28.2K
$6.66৳824
34.68%
Apples(1kg)
$2.32COP 7,308
$2.22৳274
4.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.06COP 3,352
$1.12৳139
-5.36%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 4,774
$2.31৳285
-34.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.36COP 4,270
$0.79৳97.4
72.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 3,552
$0.46৳56.9
145.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 3,689
$0.55৳68.6
112.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.90COP 2,838
$0.35৳43.54
157.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 2,823
$0.28৳34.14
221.43%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$12.13৳1,499
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.60৳197
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.06৳255
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.23COP 7,034
$2.95৳365
-24.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.12COP 38.2K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 3,743
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48COP 7,815
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.85COP 2,687
$0.10৳12.03
750.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.62COP 131.0K
$10.37৳1,281
301.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.42COP 4,459
$1.24৳154
14.52%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.95COP 6,141
$0.39৳48.62
400.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.89COP 24.8K
$0.86৳106
817.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99COP 3,118
$0.90৳112
10.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 55.4M
$29.2K৳3.6M
-39.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 84.4M
$28.1K৳3.5M
-4.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.0COP 261.4K
$30.57৳3,778
171.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.70COP 30.5K
$4.81৳595
101.66%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52COP 74.1K
$12.89৳1,593
82.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.26COP 79.5K
$5.44৳672
364.34%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.10COP 60.1K
$11.81৳1,460
61.73%
Cinema Ticket
$3.95COP 12.4K
$4.16৳514
-5.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316COP 994.2K
$20.36৳2,516
1451.03%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,975COP 18.8M
$674৳83.3K
786.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.0COP 188.9K
$13.00৳1,606
361.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 100.2K
$14.88৳1,839
113.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$102COP 320.1K
$26.16৳3,233
288.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 338.3K
$29.45৳3,639
264.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$475COP 1.5M
$66.5৳8,218
614.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$374COP 1.2M
$39.00৳4,820
858.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$849COP 2.7M
$136৳16.8K
524.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$719COP 2.3M
$85.7৳10.6K
739.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,265COP 10.3M
$495৳61.2K
559.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,441COP 4.5M
$2,322৳287.0K
-37.96%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Rajshahi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$624COP 2.0M
$213৳26.3K
193.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8.83
52.10%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026
Last update for Rajshahi: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $66.5 in Rajshahi. 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 193% higher in Medellin, 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 $9.00 in Rajshahi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $116 – making Rajshahi 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 Rajshahi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Rajshahi cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 227%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $459 in Rajshahi. 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 Rajshahi, 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 Rajshahi?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $9.00 in Rajshahi. 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 Rajshahi?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $306 in Rajshahi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Rajshahi?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Rajshahi, where all-in costs run around $306, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Rajshahi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Rajshahi more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Rajshahi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Medellin or Rajshahi?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Rajshahi. 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.