Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bakersfield, CA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,081 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,378 in Bakersfield, CA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,675 in Bakersfield, CA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bakersfield, CA is roughly 83% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bakersfield, CA 125% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.69 $18.69

$8.02 COP 25.0K

133.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 $64.7

$47.87 COP 149.4K

35.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.22 $14.22

$9.89 COP 30.8K

43.78%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$3.13 COP 9,767

85.62%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$1.91 COP 5,954

41.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.51 COP 4,712

28.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.12 COP 9,747

92.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$5.75 COP 17.9K

2.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.44 COP 4,509

-22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.49 COP 7,759

65.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$1.77 COP 5,535

195.48%

Eggs

$3.40 $3.40

$2.96 COP 9,235

14.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$10.07 COP 31.4K

28.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$10.12 COP 31.6K

31.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.10 $16.10

$14.30 COP 44.6K

12.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$4.14 COP 12.9K

-4.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.61 COP 5,019

24.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.25 COP 7,007

77.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.25 COP 7,028

76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.04 COP 6,375

2.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.54 COP 4,790

58.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.17 COP 3,651

73.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.31 COP 4,077

90.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$3.90 COP 12.2K

151.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.06 $18.06

$14.01 COP 43.7K

28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.74 COP 5,439

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.87 COP 8,956

66.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.22 COP 3,792

36.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.2 $56.2

$80.5 COP 251.1K

-30.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.31 COP 4,084

122.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.19 COP 6,825

-3.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.37 COP 4,260

7.30%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$27.8K COP 86.9M

32.55%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.8K COP 111.6M

-23.95%

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

$391 $391

$177 COP 553.2K

120.63%

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

$58.7 $58.7

$13.88 COP 43.3K

323.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$29.72 COP 92.8K

147.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.46 $39.46

$44.88 COP 140.1K

-12.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.52 $24.52

$17.12 COP 53.4K

43.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$6.65 COP 20.7K

123.01%

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

$1,521 $1,521

$813 COP 2.5M

87.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.1 $62.1

$89.5 COP 279.3K

-30.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.32 $48.32

$59.0 COP 184.0K

-18.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 $99.6

$138 COP 431.2K

-27.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$102 COP 318.7K

19.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$1,062 COP 3.3M

60.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$663 COP 2.1M

135.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,395 $2,395

$1,888 COP 5.9M

26.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,427 $2,427

$1,027 COP 3.2M

136.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,491 $2,491

$4,183 COP 13.1M

-40.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,514 $2,514

$1,675 COP 5.2M

50.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,660 $3,660

$678 COP 2.1M

440.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

10.94

-41.86%

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

Last update for Bakersfield, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,701 in Bakersfield, CA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bakersfield, CA pays 440% 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: $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $305 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

Bakersfield, CA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 440% higher in Bakersfield, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,701 in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $65.0 in Bakersfield, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,081 per month in Bakersfield, CA versus $1,681 in Medellin – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $3,081 in Bakersfield, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bakersfield, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Bakersfield, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Bakersfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.