Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Ballsh and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,211 per month in Ballsh vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,879 per month in Ballsh vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,548 per month in Ballsh vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Ballsh costs about 17% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ballsh and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Ballsh 9% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 ALL 955

$6.16 COP 20.1K

90.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.6 ALL 4,782

$32.60 COP 106.1K

79.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.84 ALL 557

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-6.81%

Cappuccino

$2.02 ALL 165

$1.72 COP 5,600

17.44%

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

$1.43 ALL 117

$1.05 COP 3,420

36.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 ALL 73.8

$0.77 COP 2,515

16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 ALL 239

$1.69 COP 5,488

73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 ALL 329

$3.17 COP 10.3K

27.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ALL 175

$1.05 COP 3,423

104.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ALL 89.7

$1.30 COP 4,236

-15.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 ALL 174

$1.40 COP 4,544

52.14%

Eggs

$3.92 ALL 320

$2.16 COP 7,047

81.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 ALL 1,079

$4.39 COP 14.3K

201.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 ALL 621

$5.88 COP 19.1K

29.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.43 ALL 1,258

$8.64 COP 28.1K

78.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ALL 144

$2.28 COP 7,426

-22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.67 ALL 218

$1.11 COP 3,604

140.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ALL 162

$1.53 COP 4,983

29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ALL 157

$1.35 COP 4,410

42.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 ALL 107

$1.13 COP 3,674

15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.28 ALL 105

$1.13 COP 3,692

13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 ALL 122

$0.85 COP 2,753

75.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ALL 61.1

$0.91 COP 2,975

-17.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ALL 352

$2.34 COP 7,630

84.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.42 ALL 850

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-15.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ALL 134

$1.20 COP 3,909

36.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ALL 168

$2.49 COP 8,104

-16.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 ALL 39.78

$0.84 COP 2,728

-41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.62 ALL 1,519

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-54.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 ALL 292

$1.42 COP 4,623

152.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.08 ALL 252

$1.92 COP 6,235

60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.31 ALL 1,412

$7.66 COP 24.9K

125.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.09 ALL 170

$0.99 COP 3,223

111.11%

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

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

118.69%

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

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

31.55%

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

$108 ALL 8,832

$80.8 COP 263.1K

34.03%

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

$17.62 ALL 1,437

$9.95 COP 32.4K

77.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.27 ALL 1,490

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-24.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 ALL 4,549

$25.08 COP 81.7K

122.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.12 ALL 2,049

$19.15 COP 62.3K

31.17%

Cinema Ticket

$9.63 ALL 786

$3.98 COP 13.0K

141.96%

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

$161 ALL 13.1K

$305 COP 993.5K

-47.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,544 ALL 452.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-8.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 ALL 5,617

$58.1 COP 189.2K

18.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.0 ALL 4,080

$32.20 COP 104.8K

55.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ALL 8,807

$101 COP 327.9K

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 ALL 10.7K

$108 COP 350.8K

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 ALL 37.1K

$477 COP 1.6M

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 ALL 28.2K

$376 COP 1.2M

-7.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$603 ALL 49.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

-28.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ALL 35.4K

$730 COP 2.4M

-40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-44.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-3.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.52

13.43

-58.90%

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

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $455 in Ballsh versus $477 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 $59.0 in Ballsh versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ballsh vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,816 per month in Ballsh and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Ballsh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Ballsh and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballsh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.