Cost of Living Comparison Between Baabda and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baabda and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $892 in Baabda versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,414 in Baabda versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,937 in Baabda versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Baabda costs roughly 13% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baabda 33% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.87 LBP 973.0K

$6.16 COP 20.1K

76.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

$32.60 COP 106.1K

80.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 LBP 717.6K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

9.26%

Cappuccino

$3.38 LBP 302.4K

$1.72 COP 5,600

96.51%

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

$1.63 LBP 145.4K

$1.05 COP 3,420

55.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 LBP 83.5K

$0.77 COP 2,515

20.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 LBP 316.4K

$1.69 COP 5,488

109.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 LBP 434.2K

$3.17 COP 10.3K

53.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

$1.05 COP 3,423

69.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

$1.30 COP 4,236

-39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 LBP 163.7K

$1.40 COP 4,544

30.71%

Eggs

$3.05 LBP 273.0K

$2.16 COP 7,047

41.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

$4.39 COP 14.3K

158.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.68 LBP 866.7K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

64.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

$8.64 COP 28.1K

31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 LBP 160.2K

$2.28 COP 7,426

-21.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.5K

$1.11 COP 3,604

36.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

$1.53 COP 4,983

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 LBP 94.3K

$1.35 COP 4,410

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 LBP 83.8K

$1.13 COP 3,674

-16.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 LBP 89.2K

$1.13 COP 3,692

-11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.88 LBP 78.8K

$0.85 COP 2,753

3.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

$0.91 COP 2,975

-39.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.4K

$2.34 COP 7,630

9.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.99 LBP 893.7K

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-19.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

$1.20 COP 3,909

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 LBP 191.7K

$2.49 COP 8,104

-14.06%

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)

$5.05 LBP 451.7K

$1.42 COP 4,623

255.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 109.3K

$1.92 COP 6,235

-36.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.85 LBP 1.8M

$7.66 COP 24.9K

159.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 LBP 85.8K

$0.99 COP 3,223

-3.03%

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

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

$18.0K COP 58.7M

93.87%

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

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

$26.6K COP 86.7M

5.64%

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

$219 LBP 19.6M

$80.8 COP 263.1K

170.97%

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

$37.26 LBP 3.3M

$9.95 COP 32.4K

274.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.89 LBP 3.3M

$24.18 COP 78.7K

52.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.80 LBP 698.3K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

95.98%

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

$301 LBP 27.0M

$305 COP 993.5K

-1.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,399 LBP 393.7M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-27.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

$58.1 COP 189.2K

24.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.35 LBP 4.1M

$32.20 COP 104.8K

40.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 LBP 11.0M

$101 COP 327.9K

21.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 LBP 8.6M

$108 COP 350.8K

-10.69%

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)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

13.43

-16.90%

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

Last update for Baabda: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $59.0 in Baabda vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $193 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Baabda vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baabda and Medellin differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($892 vs $1,031 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,338 in Baabda and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $301 in Baabda 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 Baabda – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $892 in Baabda versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baabda but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baabda 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.

Expats usually find Baabda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.