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: $898 in Baabda versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,402 in Baabda versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,906 in Baabda versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Baabda costs roughly 11% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baabda 33% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

78.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

$32.86 COP 117.4K

80.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.24 LBP 737.3K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

16.22%

Cappuccino

$3.36 LBP 300.6K

$1.71 COP 6,115

96.49%

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

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

$1.10 COP 3,924

49.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

$1.68 COP 5,997

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.01 LBP 448.6K

$3.07 COP 11.0K

63.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

$1.09 COP 3,906

62.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

$1.26 COP 4,508

-37.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

$1.38 COP 4,922

33.33%

Eggs

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

$2.19 COP 7,827

41.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

$4.40 COP 15.7K

159.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.36 LBP 837.4K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

66.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

$8.89 COP 31.8K

30.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

$2.34 COP 8,349

-25.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

$1.06 COP 3,777

43.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

$1.50 COP 5,374

-23.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

$1.38 COP 4,924

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

$1.15 COP 4,111

-12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

$0.89 COP 3,182

-3.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

$0.84 COP 2,997

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.56 LBP 229.4K

$2.28 COP 8,145

12.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 LBP 902.6K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

$1.20 COP 4,284

6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 LBP 193.1K

$2.47 COP 8,824

-12.55%

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)

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

$1.47 COP 5,264

237.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

$1.96 COP 7,009

-34.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

$7.74 COP 27.6K

161.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

$0.95 COP 3,409

-7.37%

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

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

$18.1K COP 64.7M

91.09%

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

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

$26.5K COP 94.6M

5.83%

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

$213 LBP 19.1M

$82.3 COP 293.7K

159.50%

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

$38.10 LBP 3.4M

$9.50 COP 33.9K

301.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

$24.23 COP 86.5K

54.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.16 LBP 730.3K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

107.63%

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

$300 LBP 26.9M

$309 COP 1.1M

-3.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,440 LBP 397.3M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$58.7 COP 209.5K

20.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

$32.35 COP 115.5K

39.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 LBP 10.9M

$103 COP 366.4K

18.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.0 LBP 8.6M

$108 COP 387.2K

-11.43%

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)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 $188 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 13% in total monthly costs ($898 vs $1,013 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,346 in Baabda and $1,519 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 $300 in Baabda 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 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 $898 in Baabda versus $1,013 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 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.