Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Balti and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $983 per month in Balti vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,240 per month in Balti vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,497 per month in Balti vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Balti is about 3% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Balti and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Balti 27% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.08 MDL 139

$5.99 COP 21.4K

34.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.20 MDL 639

$32.86 COP 117.4K

13.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 MDL 134

$7.09 COP 25.3K

9.73%

Cappuccino

$1.64 MDL 28.15

$1.71 COP 6,115

-4.09%

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

$0.91 MDL 15.65

$1.10 COP 3,924

-17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 MDL 11.31

$0.78 COP 2,781

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 MDL 30.36

$1.68 COP 5,997

5.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 MDL 39.11

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-25.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 MDL 22.15

$1.09 COP 3,906

18.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 MDL 7.29

$1.26 COP 4,508

-66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MDL 24.68

$1.38 COP 4,922

4.35%

Eggs

$1.59 MDL 27.36

$2.19 COP 7,827

-27.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.25 MDL 159

$4.40 COP 15.7K

110.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 MDL 78.6

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 MDL 154

$8.89 COP 31.8K

0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$0.89 MDL 15.32

$2.34 COP 8,349

-61.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 MDL 30.21

$1.06 COP 3,777

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 MDL 25.26

$1.50 COP 5,374

-2.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MDL 35.37

$1.38 COP 4,924

49.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 MDL 12.09

$1.15 COP 4,111

-39.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 MDL 10.26

$1.16 COP 4,155

-48.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 MDL 23.51

$0.89 COP 3,182

53.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 MDL 15.14

$0.84 COP 2,997

4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.20 MDL 55.0

$2.28 COP 8,145

40.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.69 MDL 80.6

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-55.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MDL 20.72

$1.20 COP 4,284

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 MDL 33.74

$2.47 COP 8,824

-20.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MDL 5.78

$0.86 COP 3,056

-60.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.09 MDL 35.95

$1.47 COP 5,264

42.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.30

$1.96 COP 7,009

-87.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 MDL 89.3

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-32.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MDL 22.75

$0.95 COP 3,409

38.95%

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

$31.9K MDL 547.7K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

75.73%

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

$31.1K MDL 533.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

17.25%

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

$171 MDL 2,932

$82.3 COP 293.7K

107.37%

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

$4.77 MDL 81.9

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-49.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.57 MDL 182

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-56.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 MDL 712

$25.89 COP 92.4K

59.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.62 MDL 79.5

$3.93 COP 14.0K

17.56%

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

$119 MDL 2,041

$309 COP 1.1M

-61.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,566 MDL 95.7K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-6.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 MDL 1,119

$58.7 COP 209.5K

10.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MDL 924

$32.35 COP 115.5K

66.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MDL 1,926

$103 COP 366.4K

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 MDL 2,148

$108 COP 387.2K

15.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MDL 6,980

$476 COP 1.7M

-14.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 MDL 5,049

$379 COP 1.4M

-22.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,471 MDL 25.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-47.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,017 MDL 17.5K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-16.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 MDL 7,415

$512 COP 1.8M

-15.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.24

13.43

-31.20%

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

Last update for Balti: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $406 in Balti versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Balti versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $177 in Balti vs $188 in Medellin – so Balti wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Balti vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $983 in Balti, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,475 per month in Balti and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Balti and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balti, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Balti it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $983 in Balti to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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