Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Babol and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Babol: $471 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Babol, Iran
Medellin, Colombia
Babol
🇮🇷 Iran
$471
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Babol 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 Babol and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $471 per month in Babol vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Babol $471
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $733 per month in Babol vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Babol $733
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $994 per month in Babol vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Babol $994
  • Medellin $3,186

Babol is about 71% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Babol sits 65% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.94 $2.94
$8.09 COP 25.4K
-63.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.80 $10.80
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-77.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.02 $4.02
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-57.68%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.49 $0.49
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 $0.66
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.05 $1.05
$3.01 COP 9,485
-65.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.80 COP 5,660
-83.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 $1.72
$1.41 COP 4,443
21.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.18 COP 9,990
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.71 $0.71
$1.51 COP 4,751
-52.98%
White Bread (500g)
$0.22 $0.22
$2.38 COP 7,480
-90.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.77 COP 5,573
39.55%
Eggs
$1.22 $1.22
$2.89 COP 9,093
-57.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$2.02 $2.02
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-80.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-66.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.23 $9.23
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-34.02%
Apples (1kg)
$1.22 $1.22
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-69.27%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.55 COP 4,883
-9.03%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.48 $0.48
$2.18 COP 6,867
-77.98%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.48 $0.48
$2.18 COP 6,870
-77.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.96 COP 6,174
-85.20%
Onion (1kg)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.59 COP 5,000
-81.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.29 $0.29
$1.15 COP 3,604
-74.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.14 $0.14
$1.24 COP 3,911
-88.71%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$0.78 $0.78
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 $0.54
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18 $2.18
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.24 $2.24
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-43.43%
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
-
🚌 Getting Around
Babol
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.16 $0.16
$1.17 COP 3,674
-86.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.65 $9.65
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-87.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 $0.51
$1.27 COP 3,989
-59.84%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.29 $0.29
$2.05 COP 6,442
-85.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-65.61%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.08 $0.08
$1.35 COP 4,237
-94.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$49.2K $49.2K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
44.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.1K $30.1K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-13.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$12.91 $12.91
$170 COP 533.7K
-92.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$1.52 $1.52
$13.55 COP 42.6K
-88.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$3.84 $3.84
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-86.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$18.51 $18.51
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-57.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.57 $13.57
$17.19 COP 54.1K
-21.06%
Cinema Ticket
$1.94 $1.94
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-71.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$48.02 $48.02
$797 COP 2.5M
-93.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,397 $2,397
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-73.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$19.85 $19.85
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-76.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$14.97 $14.97
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-74.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$53.6 $53.6
$135 COP 424.6K
-60.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$39.31 $39.31
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-59.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Babol
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$289 $289
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-76.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$207 $207
$642 COP 2.0M
-67.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$779 $779
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-61.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$359 $359
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-64.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$911 $911
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-78.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$596 $596
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-68.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Babol
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$130 $130
$657 COP 2.1M
-80.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
23.75
10.94
117.09%

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

Last update for Babol: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Babol
$207
Medellin
$642 209% $434
Groceries & Markets
Babol
$97
Medellin
$297 205% $200
Clothing & Footwear
Babol
$57
Medellin
$169 194% $111
Eating Out
Babol
$56
Medellin
$170 202% $113
Sport & Entertainment
Babol
$22
Medellin
$58 157% $35
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Babol
$18
Medellin
$211 1056% $193
Getting Around
Babol
$12
Medellin
$94 664% $81

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $289 in Babol versus $1,208 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Medellin are about 5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $11 in Babol versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $97 vs $297 – making Babol the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇷 Babol
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
23:16 11:16 PM
14:46 2:46 PM
8 h 30 min behind Babol
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
220,000
2,486,723
💱 Currency
USD USD
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – USD Converter

USD exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Babol Medellin 12,840 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Babol
  • Medellin

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

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Babol vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Babol and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $471 in Babol, $1,639 in Medellin – Babol comes out roughly 71% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Babol compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $707 per month in Babol and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Babol and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Babol, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $289 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
How do commuting costs compare in Babol and in Medellin?
Public transport costs about 88% less in Babol. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Babol and Medellin?
Kindergarten costs $48 per month in Babol and $797 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Babol, where all-in costs run around $471, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Babol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Babol or Medellin?
Families tend to lean toward Babol – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Babol and Medellin?
If budget matters most, go with Babol. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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