Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Ba: $93.6 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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🇫🇯 Fiji

$93.6

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ba and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ba and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $94 in Ba versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Ba $94
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $209 in Ba versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Ba $209
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $325 in Ba versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Ba $325
Medellin $3,186

Living in Ba costs roughly 94% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ba is 93% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.04 FJD 4.56

$8.09 COP 25.4K

-74.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.40 FJD 67.8

$47.05 COP 148.0K

-35.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 FJD 13.41

$9.50 COP 29.9K

-36.74%

Cappuccino

$1.99 FJD 4.43

$3.01 COP 9,485

-33.89%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 FJD 2.18

$1.80 COP 5,660

-45.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 FJD 2.20

$1.41 COP 4,443

-29.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 FJD 9.18

$3.18 COP 9,990

29.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 FJD 7.74

$5.75 COP 18.1K

-39.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,751

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,480

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,573

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,093

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.0K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.5K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,883

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,867

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,870

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,174

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,000

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,604

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,911

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,221

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,103

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,674

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 243.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 3,989

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,442

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 26.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,237

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.1K COP 107.2M

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.7K COP 109.1M

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$170 COP 533.7K

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.55 COP 42.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.3K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 137.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.1K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.7K

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$797 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 266.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 182.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 424.6K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 307.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$399 FJD 890

$657 COP 2.1M

-39.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-63.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ba: October 24, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

–

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Groceries & Markets

–

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

–

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Eating Out

–

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Clothing & Footwear

–

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Getting Around

–

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Sport & Entertainment

–

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 65% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $30 in Ba vs $47 in Medellin for two.

Good to know

🇫🇯 Ba

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

06:48 6:48 AM

13:48 1:48 PM

17 h behind Ba

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

15,000

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Fijian Dollar FJD $

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 FJD = 0.448 USD

1 FJD = 0.403 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.18 USD

10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to FJD – Fijian Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇫🇯 Fijian Dollar ($)

Fijian Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 2.23 FJD (1 FJD = 0.448 USD). 1 EUR = 2.48 FJD (1 FJD = 0.403 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

USD to FJD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ba Medellin 11,990 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Ba
Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Ba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Ba. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $30 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $94 per month in Ba versus $1,639 in Medellin – a 1652% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $94 in Ba versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $800 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Ba wins on affordability, Medellin on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.