Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $481 in Ba versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $817 in Ba versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,152 in Ba versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Ba costs roughly 52% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba 64% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 FJD 4.29

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-67.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 FJD 64.7

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-10.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.85 FJD 12.84

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-17.49%

Cappuccino

$1.95 FJD 4.28

$1.71 COP 6,115

14.04%

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

$0.98 FJD 2.14

$1.10 COP 3,924

-10.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 FJD 1.42

$0.78 COP 2,781

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 FJD 6.66

$1.68 COP 5,997

80.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 FJD 7.52

$3.07 COP 11.0K

11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 FJD 2.93

$1.09 COP 3,906

22.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 FJD 1.15

$1.26 COP 4,508

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 FJD 2.57

$1.38 COP 4,922

-15.22%

Eggs

$3.47 FJD 7.60

$2.19 COP 7,827

58.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 FJD 20.55

$4.40 COP 15.7K

112.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 FJD 15.69

$5.63 COP 20.1K

27.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.41 FJD 16.25

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-16.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 FJD 5.36

$2.34 COP 8,349

4.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 FJD 5.59

$1.06 COP 3,777

140.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.40 FJD 7.45

$1.50 COP 5,374

126.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 FJD 7.06

$1.38 COP 4,924

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 FJD 3.19

$1.15 COP 4,111

26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 FJD 2.71

$1.16 COP 4,155

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 FJD 2.67

$0.89 COP 3,182

37.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 FJD 1.66

$0.84 COP 2,997

-9.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 FJD 21.84

$2.28 COP 8,145

336.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 FJD 4.83

$1.20 COP 4,284

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 FJD 7.56

$2.47 COP 8,824

39.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 FJD 2.01

$1.47 COP 5,264

-37.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 FJD 19.39

$7.74 COP 27.6K

14.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 FJD 3.01

$0.95 COP 3,409

44.21%

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

$24.1K FJD 52.8K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

32.81%

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

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-5.95%

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

$45.80 FJD 100

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-44.32%

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

$13.27 FJD 29.10

$9.50 COP 33.9K

39.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.01 FJD 52.7

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-0.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 FJD 9.97

$3.93 COP 14.0K

15.78%

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

$228 FJD 501

$309 COP 1.1M

-26.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K FJD 31.2K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

138.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.29 FJD 57.7

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-55.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.70 FJD 60.8

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-14.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 FJD 155

$103 COP 366.4K

-31.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.2 FJD 136

$108 COP 387.2K

-42.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$392 FJD 859

$512 COP 1.8M

-23.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-70.22%

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

Last update for Ba: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 31% 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: $29.00 in Ba vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $188, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 110% 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, Medellin earns 31% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $228 in Ba versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $481 in Ba versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 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 work as nomad bases, but Ba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ba hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.