😐A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $364 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $615 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $866 in Sylhet, rent included.
😐Medellin costs about 364% more than Sylhet, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sylhet is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.89COP 24.2K
$2.45৳299
222.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.53COP 136.5K
$11.32৳1,382
293.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29COP 28.5K
$3.96৳483
134.60%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$5.00৳610
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.01৳490
-
Cappuccino
$2.90COP 8,874
$1.99৳242
45.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81COP 5,541
$0.30৳36.26
503.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55COP 4,741
$0.16৳20.04
868.75%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25COP 9,962
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88COP 18.0K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38COP 4,230
$0.83৳101
66.27%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45COP 7,517
$0.59৳72.3
315.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,617
$0.64৳78.1
135.94%
Eggs
$2.78COP 8,516
$1.16৳142
139.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05COP 27.7K
$7.51৳917
20.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.65COP 32.6K
$3.34৳407
218.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.63COP 44.8K
$6.56৳800
123.02%
Apples(1kg)
$3.97COP 12.2K
$2.70৳330
47.04%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,219
$0.93৳114
48.39%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,056
$2.41৳294
-4.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02COP 6,185
$0.67৳81.6
201.49%
Potato(1kg)
$2.09COP 6,390
$0.24৳29.40
770.83%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63COP 4,996
$0.50৳60.6
226.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08COP 3,313
$0.31৳38.34
248.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25COP 3,843
$0.30৳36.81
316.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$2.78৳339
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.09৳255
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.93৳479
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03COP 12.4K
$2.80৳341
43.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.47COP 41.3K
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60COP 4,904
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00COP 9,189
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18COP 3,611
$0.75৳91.6
57.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.9COP 244.9K
$24.33৳2,969
228.57%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.61COP 4,920
$1.19৳145
35.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13COP 6,533
$0.15৳18.61
1320.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.52COP 26.1K
$1.17৳143
628.21%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35COP 4,142
$1.02৳125
32.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3KCOP 86.8M
$29.3K৳3.6M
-3.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KCOP 109.4M
$31.5K৳3.8M
13.43%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151COP 463.8K
$25.76৳3,143
487.66%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.10COP 40.1K
$3.86৳471
239.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.30COP 99.0K
$12.38৳1,510
160.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.33COP 141.9K
$9.20৳1,122
403.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.26COP 52.9K
$4.02৳490
329.35%
Cinema Ticket
$6.43COP 19.7K
$4.12৳503
56.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$835COP 2.6M
$28.72৳3,504
2806.89%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,887COP 27.2M
$994৳121.3K
794.06%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3COP 273.7K
$16.33৳1,992
447.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3COP 169.5K
$16.16৳1,972
242.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$137COP 418.5K
$36.29৳4,428
276.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 335.1K
$29.90৳3,648
265.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$952COP 2.9M
$130৳15.8K
632.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$668COP 2.0M
$57.5৳7,011
1062.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,020COP 6.2M
$172৳21.0K
1072.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148COP 3.5M
$158৳19.3K
624.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,696COP 11.3M
$698৳85.1K
429.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,586COP 4.9M
$353৳43.0K
349.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Sylhet
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$625COP 1.9M
$229৳28.0K
172.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.43
10.98
-5.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026
Last update for Sylhet: August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $130 in Sylhet. 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 173% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Sylhet. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $119 – making Sylhet 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 Sylhet: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sylhet cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 364%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $546 in Sylhet. 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 Sylhet, 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 Sylhet?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $11.00 in Sylhet. 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 Sylhet?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,687 in Medellin and $364 in Sylhet. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Sylhet?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sylhet, where all-in costs run around $364, than in Medellin at $1,687. In Sylhet it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Sylhet more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Sylhet – 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 Sylhet. 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.