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Compare cities › Bogotá vs Medellín
Bogotá vs Medellín cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money · Updated September 2026
🇨🇴 Bogotá
🇨🇴 MedellínMedellín is 10% cheaper than Bogotá
Living on $1,647 a month in Bogotá feels like about $1,524 in Medellín — same standard of living, compared by feel rather than exchange rate.
Per day
$107 vs $93.3
Per month
$1,647 vs $1,524
Local meal
COL$ 16,000 vs COL$ 16,000
$3.9 vs $3.9
Taxi 5 km
COL$ 20,000 vs COL$ 20,000
$4.88 vs $4.88
At a glance
Foodsimilar
Cafés & drinkssimilar
Transportsimilar
StayMedellín 16% cheaper
Funsimilar
- Where Medellín is clearly cheaper: Hotel night (20%↓)
Item by item
| Item | Bogotá | Medellín | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | COL$ 16,000$3.9 | COL$ 16,000$3.9 | similar |
| Street food1 item | COL$ 7,200$1.76 | COL$ 7,200$1.76 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | COL$ 62,000$15.1 | COL$ 57,000$13.9 | Medellín −8% |
| Coffeeone cup | COL$ 8,200$2 | COL$ 8,200$2 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | COL$ 8,200$2 | COL$ 8,200$2 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | COL$ 21,000$5.12 | COL$ 21,000$5.12 | similar |
| Bottled water | COL$ 2,000$0.49 | COL$ 2,000$0.49 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | COL$ 5,000$1.22 | COL$ 5,000$1.22 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | COL$ 20,000$4.88 | COL$ 20,000$4.88 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | COL$ 12,000$2.93 | COL$ 12,000$2.93 | similar |
| Transitone ride | COL$ 3,300$0.8 | COL$ 2,900$0.71 | Medellín −12% |
| Scooter rentalper day | COL$ 82,000$20 | COL$ 82,000$20 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | COL$ 250,000$61 | COL$ 200,000$48.8 | Medellín −20% |
| Studio rent (month) | COL$ 1,800,000$439 | COL$ 1,600,000$390 | Medellín −11% |
| Laundry | COL$ 8,200$2 | COL$ 8,200$2 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | COL$ 33,000$8.05 | COL$ 33,000$8.05 | similar |
| Haircutcut | COL$ 35,000$8.54 | COL$ 35,000$8.54 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | COL$ 100,000$24.4 | COL$ 100,000$24.4 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | COL$ 140,000$34.1 | COL$ 140,000$34.1 | similar |
| Entry ticketTourist town | COL$ 33,000$8.05 | COL$ 33,000$8.05 | similar |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bogotá or Medellín?
Medellín is 10% cheaper than Bogotá. Daily budget $107 vs $93.3; a month $1,647 vs $1,524.
How do monthly costs compare between Bogotá and Medellín?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bogotá is about $1,647 and Medellín about $1,524 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.