Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baku and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $901 in Baku versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,440 in Baku versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,979 in Baku versus $2,192 in Medellin.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 ₼15.03

$5.99 COP 21.3K

47.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.60 ₼58.8

$32.86 COP 116.9K

5.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 ₼13.13

$7.09 COP 25.2K

9.03%

Cappuccino

$3.66 ₼6.22

$1.71 COP 6,093

114.04%

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

$0.79 ₼1.34

$1.10 COP 3,910

-28.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₼0.75

$0.78 COP 2,771

-43.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₼3.04

$1.68 COP 5,976

6.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 ₼4.93

$3.07 COP 10.9K

-5.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 ₼2.33

$1.09 COP 3,892

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 ₼0.80

$1.26 COP 4,492

-62.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 ₼4.03

$1.38 COP 4,905

71.74%

Eggs

$1.36 ₼2.30

$2.19 COP 7,799

-37.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 ₼8.90

$4.40 COP 15.7K

19.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 ₼8.26

$5.63 COP 20.0K

-13.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 ₼17.65

$8.89 COP 31.6K

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 ₼2.20

$2.34 COP 8,319

-44.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 ₼3.09

$1.06 COP 3,764

71.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ₼2.48

$1.50 COP 5,355

-2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.81 ₼3.08

$1.38 COP 4,906

31.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ₼1.32

$1.15 COP 4,097

-32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 ₼0.82

$1.16 COP 4,141

-58.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₼0.67

$0.89 COP 3,170

-56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₼1.11

$0.84 COP 2,986

-22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.46 ₼5.87

$2.28 COP 8,116

51.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.99 ₼15.27

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 ₼2.29

$1.20 COP 4,268

11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₼4.79

$2.47 COP 8,793

14.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₼0.51

$0.86 COP 3,045

-65.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 ₼30.53

$41.40 COP 147.3K

-56.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 ₼3.57

$1.47 COP 5,245

42.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 ₼1.04

$1.96 COP 6,984

-68.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ₼6.15

$7.74 COP 27.5K

-53.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 ₼1.28

$0.95 COP 3,397

-21.05%

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

$20.6K ₼35.0K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

13.71%

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

$21.8K ₼37.0K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

-17.70%

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

$60.6 ₼103

$82.3 COP 292.7K

-26.35%

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

$11.97 ₼20.34

$9.50 COP 33.8K

26.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.13 ₼25.72

$24.23 COP 86.2K

-37.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.50 ₼72.2

$25.89 COP 92.1K

64.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.86 ₼37.15

$19.00 COP 67.6K

15.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.83 ₼9.91

$3.93 COP 14.0K

48.35%

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

$246 ₼418

$309 COP 1.1M

-20.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,448 ₼11.0K

$5,965 COP 21.2M

8.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ₼99.9

$58.7 COP 208.7K

0.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 ₼92.4

$32.35 COP 115.1K

68.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 ₼207

$103 COP 365.1K

18.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 ₼168

$108 COP 385.8K

-8.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 ₼797

$476 COP 1.7M

-1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₼455

$379 COP 1.3M

-29.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ₼1,609

$838 COP 3.0M

12.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 ₼775

$724 COP 2.6M

-37.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,302 ₼3,913

$2,791 COP 9.9M

-17.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 ₼2,133

$1,211 COP 4.3M

3.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$563 ₼957

$512 COP 1.8M

10.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.87

13.43

-33.95%

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

Last update for Baku: May 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Baku and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baku pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Baku vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $180 vs $188, with Baku cheaper for home cooking.

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

Baku vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baku and Medellin differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($901 vs $1,013 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Baku pays 10% more on average, 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: $469 in Baku versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $246 in Baku versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Baku versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baku but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baku 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.

Safety-wise, Baku and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Baku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.