Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bahia de Caraquez and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Bahia de Caraquez: $873 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bahia de Caraquez, Ecuador
Medellin, Colombia
Bahia de Caraquez
🇪🇨 Ecuador
$873
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $873 per month in Bahia de Caraquez vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bahia de Caraquez $873
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $1,437 per month in Bahia de Caraquez vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bahia de Caraquez $1,437
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $2,002 per month in Bahia de Caraquez vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Bahia de Caraquez $2,002
  • Medellin $3,249

Bahia de Caraquez is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Bahia de Caraquez sits 35% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.97 $3.97
$8.34 COP 26.9K
-52.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.2 $53.2
$46.53 COP 150.2K
14.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.82 $8.82
$9.47 COP 30.6K
-6.86%
Cappuccino
$2.79 $2.79
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-10.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.77 COP 5,702
-48.02%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68 $0.68
$1.42 COP 4,599
-52.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.98 $2.98
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-5.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20 $4.20
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-26.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.21 $1.21
$1.53 COP 4,948
-20.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.01 $2.01
$2.29 COP 7,397
-12.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.94 COP 6,279
-27.32%
Eggs
$2.08 $2.08
$3.07 COP 9,900
-32.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.89 $6.89
$9.99 COP 32.3K
-31.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.21 $5.21
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-50.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 $8.99
$13.96 COP 45.1K
-35.60%
Apples (1kg)
$1.52 $1.52
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-62.47%
Banana (1kg)
$1.16 $1.16
$1.53 COP 4,934
-24.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.02 $1.02
$2.10 COP 6,794
-51.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.95 $0.95
$2.29 COP 7,405
-58.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 $1.27
$2.11 COP 6,810
-39.81%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.71 COP 5,518
-46.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.83 $0.83
$1.17 COP 3,778
-29.06%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.93 $0.93
$1.58 COP 5,101
-41.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.83 $5.83
$3.91 COP 12.6K
49.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.84 $11.84
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-15.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.76 COP 5,688
-12.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19 $2.19
$2.71 COP 8,756
-19.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 $0.34
$1.18 COP 3,809
-71.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.3 COP 246.3K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.71 $2.71
$1.81 COP 5,833
49.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.72 $1.72
$2.13 COP 6,874
-19.25%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.85 $11.85
$8.13 COP 26.3K
45.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 $0.84
$1.28 COP 4,117
-34.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.5K $22.5K
$34.4K COP 111.2M
-34.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K $31.1K
$34.1K COP 110.2M
-8.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$33.68 $33.68
$178 COP 573.8K
-81.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.13 $15.13
$13.89 COP 44.8K
8.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.40 $26.40
$30.74 COP 99.2K
-14.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$29.48 $29.48
$41.94 COP 135.4K
-29.71%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.45 $16.45
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-2.08%
Cinema Ticket
$7.64 $7.64
$7.47 COP 24.1K
2.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$375 $375
$790 COP 2.6M
-52.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,635 $5,635
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-54.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.0 $66.0
$86.3 COP 278.7K
-23.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.24 $41.24
$59.3 COP 191.3K
-30.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$125 $125
$138 COP 446.6K
-9.32%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.4 $92.4
$98.8 COP 319.0K
-6.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$414 $414
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-69.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$274 $274
$667 COP 2.2M
-59.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$834 $834
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-57.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 $509
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-50.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bahia de Caraquez
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.05
10.94
-8.14%

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

Last update for Bahia de Caraquez: November 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bahia de Caraquez
$274
Medellin
$667 144% $394
Groceries & Markets
Bahia de Caraquez
$199
Medellin
$307 54.4% $108
Clothing & Footwear
Bahia de Caraquez
$146
Medellin
$172 17.7% $26
Eating Out
Bahia de Caraquez
$121
Medellin
$173 42.2% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bahia de Caraquez
$75
Medellin
$222 196% $147
Sport & Entertainment
Bahia de Caraquez
$45
Medellin
$57 27.1% $12
Getting Around
Bahia de Caraquez
$13 *
Medellin
$93 638% $81

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Bahia de Caraquez versus $1,341 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Bahia de Caraquez versus $47 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Bahia de Caraquez vs $307 in Medellin – so Bahia de Caraquez wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇪🇨 Bahia de Caraquez
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
16:09 4:09 PM
16:09 4:09 PM
Same time as Bahia de Caraquez
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
24,963
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.894 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,610 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bahia de Caraquez Medellin 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bahia de Caraquez
  • Medellin

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

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
Bahia de Caraquez vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Bahia de Caraquez and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $873 in Bahia de Caraquez, $1,692 in Medellin – Bahia de Caraquez comes out roughly 48% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Bahia de Caraquez compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,309 per month in Bahia de Caraquez and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Bahia de Caraquez and Medellin?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Bahia de Caraquez, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $414 there versus $1,341 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Bahia de Caraquez and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 54% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Bahia de Caraquez, where all-in costs run around $873, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Bahia de Caraquez it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Bahia de Caraquez and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Bahia de Caraquez has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $873 in Bahia de Caraquez to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Bahia de Caraquez vs other spots: cost of living compared

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