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: $490 in Ba versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $806 in Ba versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,122 in Ba versus $2,167 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 63% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 FJD 4.38

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-68.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.04 FJD 67.2

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-7.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.88 FJD 13.17

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-19.89%

Cappuccino

$2.05 FJD 4.58

$1.72 COP 5,600

19.19%

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

$1.02 FJD 2.29

$1.05 COP 3,420

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 FJD 1.48

$0.77 COP 2,515

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 FJD 7.14

$1.69 COP 5,488

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 FJD 7.90

$3.17 COP 10.3K

11.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 FJD 2.89

$1.05 COP 3,423

22.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.49 FJD 1.10

$1.30 COP 4,236

-62.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 FJD 2.70

$1.40 COP 4,544

-13.57%

Eggs

$3.35 FJD 7.50

$2.16 COP 7,047

55.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.51 FJD 21.29

$4.39 COP 14.3K

116.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.08 FJD 15.85

$5.88 COP 19.1K

20.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 FJD 16.88

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-12.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.53 FJD 5.67

$2.28 COP 7,426

10.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 FJD 5.64

$1.11 COP 3,604

127.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.38 FJD 7.57

$1.53 COP 4,983

120.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.29 FJD 7.37

$1.35 COP 4,410

143.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.54 FJD 3.44

$1.13 COP 3,674

36.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 FJD 2.64

$1.13 COP 3,692

4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 FJD 2.70

$0.85 COP 2,753

42.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 FJD 1.83

$0.91 COP 2,975

-9.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.86 FJD 22.07

$2.34 COP 7,630

321.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 FJD 4.73

$1.20 COP 3,909

76.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 FJD 7.63

$2.49 COP 8,104

36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 FJD 1.90

$1.42 COP 4,623

-40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.67 FJD 19.41

$7.66 COP 24.9K

13.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 FJD 3.13

$0.99 COP 3,223

41.41%

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

$24.4K FJD 54.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

35.46%

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

$25.2K FJD 56.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-5.49%

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

$45.95 FJD 103

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-43.14%

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

$13.03 FJD 29.16

$9.95 COP 32.4K

30.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.83 FJD 53.3

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-1.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 FJD 9.71

$3.98 COP 13.0K

9.05%

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

$229 FJD 514

$305 COP 993.5K

-24.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K FJD 31.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

135.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.30 FJD 58.9

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-54.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.42 FJD 61.4

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-14.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 FJD 157

$101 COP 327.9K

-30.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.3 FJD 137

$108 COP 350.8K

-43.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 FJD 869

$617 COP 2.0M

-37.07%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 59% 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: $30.00 in Ba vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $193, 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, salaries run 59% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $229 in Ba versus $305 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 $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $490 in Ba versus $1,031 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 $490 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.