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: $904 in Baku versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,425 in Baku versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,946 in Baku versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Baku costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baku 32% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.84 ₼15.02

$6.16 COP 20.1K

43.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.67 ₼58.9

$32.60 COP 106.1K

6.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 ₼12.97

$7.34 COP 23.9K

3.95%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₼6.29

$1.72 COP 5,599

115.12%

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

$0.83 ₼1.41

$1.05 COP 3,420

-20.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₼0.79

$0.77 COP 2,515

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 ₼2.95

$1.69 COP 5,487

2.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ₼5.07

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-5.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 ₼2.34

$1.05 COP 3,423

31.43%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 ₼0.87

$1.30 COP 4,236

-60.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 ₼3.84

$1.40 COP 4,544

61.43%

Eggs

$1.35 ₼2.29

$2.16 COP 7,046

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 ₼8.96

$4.39 COP 14.3K

20.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 ₼8.28

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-17.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ₼17.56

$8.64 COP 28.1K

19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 ₼2.25

$2.28 COP 7,425

-41.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ₼3.06

$1.11 COP 3,603

62.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ₼2.49

$1.53 COP 4,982

-3.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.88 ₼3.20

$1.35 COP 4,410

39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ₼1.31

$1.13 COP 3,674

-31.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 ₼0.87

$1.13 COP 3,692

-54.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ₼0.67

$0.85 COP 2,753

-54.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ₼1.11

$0.91 COP 2,975

-28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ₼6.06

$2.34 COP 7,629

52.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.65 ₼14.69

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-30.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₼2.26

$1.20 COP 3,909

10.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ₼4.72

$2.49 COP 8,104

11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ₼0.51

$0.84 COP 2,727

-64.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.38 ₼29.54

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-57.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.01 ₼3.42

$1.42 COP 4,623

41.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 ₼0.97

$1.92 COP 6,235

-70.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 ₼5.91

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-54.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 ₼1.26

$0.99 COP 3,223

-25.25%

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

$20.0K ₼34.0K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

10.84%

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

$22.4K ₼38.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-15.95%

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

$61.6 ₼105

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-23.82%

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

$11.90 ₼20.23

$9.95 COP 32.4K

19.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.40 ₼26.17

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-36.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 ₼73.7

$25.08 COP 81.6K

72.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.51 ₼38.25

$19.15 COP 62.3K

17.55%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 ₼10.12

$3.98 COP 13.0K

49.50%

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

$253 ₼431

$305 COP 993.4K

-16.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,443 ₼10.9K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

6.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 ₼97.5

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-1.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 ₼92.1

$32.20 COP 104.8K

68.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₼209

$101 COP 327.9K

22.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.5 ₼167

$108 COP 350.8K

-8.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 ₼807

$477 COP 1.6M

-0.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$268 ₼455

$376 COP 1.2M

-28.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$958 ₼1,628

$845 COP 2.7M

13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 ₼764

$730 COP 2.4M

-38.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,262 ₼3,845

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-29.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,272 ₼2,163

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-7.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$556 ₼944

$617 COP 2.0M

-9.92%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Baku and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 11% 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: $35.00 in Baku vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $193, 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 14% in total monthly costs ($904 vs $1,031 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 11% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Baku versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $253 in Baku versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $904 in Baku versus $1,031 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.