Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bucaramanga 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Bucaramanga is 12.0% lower than in Medellin (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Bucaramanga is 20.4% lower than in Medellin | |
| Rent Prices in Bucaramanga are 45.8% lower than in Medellin | |
| Restaurant Prices in Bucaramanga are 25.7% lower than in Medellin | |
| Groceries Prices in Bucaramanga are 7.5% lower than in Medellin | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Bucaramanga is 4.2% higher than in Medellin | |
Restaurants | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 23,172.38 Col$ | 13,500.00 Col$ | -41.7 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 130,000.00 Col$ | 85,000.00 Col$ | -34.6 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 30,000.00 Col$ | 28,000.00 Col$ | -6.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 7,000.00 Col$ | 6,000.00 Col$ | -14.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 12,000.00 Col$ | 8,000.00 Col$ | -33.3 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 6,719.84 Col$ | 5,875.00 Col$ | -12.6 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 4,524.80 Col$ | 3,137.50 Col$ | -30.7 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 3,133.01 Col$ | 2,255.56 Col$ | -28.0 % |
Markets | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 4,319.68 Col$ | 4,990.00 Col$ | +15.5 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 5,085.24 Col$ | 4,082.34 Col$ | -19.7 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2,432.25 Col$ | 2,290.64 Col$ | -5.8 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 9,116.75 Col$ | 8,736.00 Col$ | -4.2 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 8,005.97 Col$ | 7,711.08 Col$ | -3.7 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 10,891.20 Col$ | 10,886.23 Col$ | -0.0 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 16,056.63 Col$ | 13,758.98 Col$ | -14.3 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 4,399.67 Col$ | 4,762.73 Col$ | +8.3 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 1,884.93 Col$ | 2,256.62 Col$ | +19.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 3,103.87 Col$ | 1,632.93 Col$ | -47.4 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2,555.24 Col$ | 1,663.17 Col$ | -34.9 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 2,190.09 Col$ | 2,283.08 Col$ | +4.2 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1,905.09 Col$ | 1,851.85 Col$ | -2.8 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 3,528.57 Col$ | 3,833.33 Col$ | +8.6 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 3,616.11 Col$ | 3,166.67 Col$ | -12.4 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 36,673.66 Col$ | 30,000.00 Col$ | -18.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 4,778.55 Col$ | 3,490.91 Col$ | -26.9 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 9,942.60 Col$ | 5,860.00 Col$ | -41.1 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 9,500.00 Col$ | 9,900.00 Col$ | +4.2 % |
Transportation | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3,420.00 Col$ | 3,000.00 Col$ | -12.3 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 170,000.00 Col$ | 160,000.00 Col$ | -5.9 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 5,750.00 Col$ | 7,150.00 Col$ | +24.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 12,472.42 Col$ | 10,460.74 Col$ | -16.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 32,500.00 Col$ | 25,000.00 Col$ | -23.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 4,066.01 Col$ | 4,003.95 Col$ | -1.5 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 74,000,000.00 Col$ | 80,495,000.00 Col$ | +8.8 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 107,209,894.08 Col$ | 115,166,666.67 Col$ | +7.4 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 350,090.64 Col$ | 308,173.41 Col$ | -12.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 40,371.43 Col$ | 40,388.89 Col$ | +0.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 97,333.33 Col$ | 85,562.50 Col$ | -12.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 108,979.19 Col$ | 96,650.00 Col$ | -11.3 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 78,750.00 Col$ | 65,000.00 Col$ | -17.5 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 16,500.00 Col$ | 16,000.00 Col$ | -3.0 % |
Childcare | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 1,549,465.25 Col$ | 983,333.33 Col$ | -36.5 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 24,600,000.00 Col$ | 10,133,333.33 Col$ | -58.8 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 272,777.78 Col$ | 267,816.67 Col$ | -1.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 153,333.33 Col$ | 135,000.00 Col$ | -12.0 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 430,833.33 Col$ | 344,000.00 Col$ | -20.2 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 405,000.00 Col$ | 157,500.00 Col$ | -61.1 % |
Rent Per Month | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 2,146,846.47 Col$ | 1,192,857.14 Col$ | -44.4 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 1,567,617.54 Col$ | 983,333.33 Col$ | -37.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,964,131.50 Col$ | 1,983,333.33 Col$ | -50.0 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,949,227.42 Col$ | 1,531,666.67 Col$ | -48.1 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 793,880.84 Col$ | 486,188.53 Col$ | -38.8 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 547,132.42 Col$ | 414,963.46 Col$ | -24.2 % |
Salaries And Financing | Medellin Edit |
Bucaramanga Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 2,126,200.00 Col$ | 1,765,000.00 Col$ | -17.0 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 13.00 | 15.25 | +17.3 % |
| Last update: | 31 October 2025 | 30 October 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 116 | 27 |
Moving to Medellin? Explore:
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| Cost of Living in Medellin | 244.63 miles |