🙂A single person spends $727 per month in Ninh Binh vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,175 per month in Ninh Binh vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,623 per month in Ninh Binh vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.
🙂Ninh Binh is about 28% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both Ninh Binh and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ninh Binh46% lower, Medellin24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.91₫50.0K
$5.95COP 20.8K
-67.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.03₫551.9K
$33.33COP 116.3K
-36.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.46₫117.0K
$7.23COP 25.2K
-38.31%
Cappuccino
$1.78₫46.7K
$1.63COP 5,687
9.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48₫12.6K
$1.09COP 3,821
-55.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30₫7,979
$0.73COP 2,548
-58.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.01₫26.4K
$1.74COP 6,065
-41.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57₫41.1K
$3.23COP 11.3K
-51.39%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.37₫35.9K
$1.05COP 3,662
30.48%
White Bread(500g)
$1.00₫26.3K
$1.29COP 4,515
-22.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93₫24.5K
$1.32COP 4,617
-29.55%
Eggs
$1.48₫38.9K
$2.27COP 7,927
-34.80%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.90₫312.5K
$4.35COP 15.2K
173.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.60₫94.4K
$5.88COP 20.5K
-38.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.82₫257.9K
$8.61COP 30.0K
14.05%
Apples(1kg)
$2.70₫70.8K
$2.25COP 7,844
20.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07₫28.1K
$1.07COP 3,733
-
Oranges(1kg)
$1.28₫33.7K
$1.52COP 5,322
-15.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.13₫29.7K
$1.42COP 4,964
-20.42%
Potato(1kg)
$1.04₫27.2K
$1.17COP 4,084
-11.11%
Onion(1kg)
$1.01₫26.5K
$1.17COP 4,077
-13.68%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.66₫17.3K
$0.89COP 3,096
-25.84%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52₫13.7K
$0.90COP 3,146
-42.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.31₫34.5K
$2.25COP 7,837
-41.78%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.20₫294.1K
$11.04COP 38.5K
1.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.79₫20.7K
$1.14COP 3,977
-30.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57₫41.3K
$2.38COP 8,301
-34.03%
🚌 Getting Around
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32₫8,364
$0.84COP 2,916
-61.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$6.40₫167.9K
$41.95COP 146.4K
-84.74%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.67₫17.5K
$1.41COP 4,912
-52.48%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.62₫16.2K
$1.90COP 6,634
-67.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$2.83₫74.2K
$7.75COP 27.0K
-63.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84₫22.0K
$1.01COP 3,509
-16.83%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.1K₫921.9M
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
99.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K₫826.5M
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
18.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$74.0₫1.9M
$83.7COP 292.1K
-11.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$5.72₫150.2K
$9.45COP 33.0K
-39.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.49₫222.8K
$24.11COP 84.1K
-64.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$22.35₫586.7K
$25.31COP 88.3K
-11.69%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.88₫206.9K
$19.14COP 66.8K
-58.83%
Cinema Ticket
$3.02₫79.3K
$4.10COP 14.3K
-26.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$265₫7.0M
$312COP 1.1M
-15.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K₫300.9M
$5,993COP 20.9M
91.28%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.15₫1.1M
$58.0COP 202.6K
-29.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.29₫611.3K
$32.56COP 113.6K
-28.47%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.1₫2.2M
$99.6COP 347.7K
-14.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.5₫2.0M
$109COP 378.8K
-30.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$353₫9.3M
$482COP 1.7M
-26.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$250₫6.6M
$379COP 1.3M
-34.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$731₫19.2M
$837COP 2.9M
-12.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$528₫13.9M
$723COP 2.5M
-27.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,121₫55.7M
$2,840COP 9.9M
-25.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,232₫32.4M
$1,223COP 4.3M
0.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ninh Binh
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$541COP 1.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.1
13.43
-32.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Ninh Binh: June 7, 2026
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Ninh Binh versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Ninh Binh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $191 in Ninh Binh vs $190 in Medellin – 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
Ninh Binh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Ninh Binh?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,091 per month in Ninh Binh and $1,525 in Medellin. 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 Ninh Binh, 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 Ninh Binh or Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Ninh Binh and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Ninh Binh vs Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $727 in Ninh Binh and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ninh Binh or Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ninh Binh, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Ninh Binh it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ninh Binh or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Ninh Binh – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ninh Binh or Medellin?
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 Ninh Binh. 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.