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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $995 per month in Balti vs $1,641 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,473 per month in Balti vs $2,447 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,951 per month in Balti vs $3,253 in Medellin, rent included.

Balti is about 39% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Balti sits 28% below the global median, while Medellin is 19% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.92 MDL 153

$8.04 COP 24.8K

10.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.46 MDL 403

$48.29 COP 148.6K

-51.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 MDL 190

$9.42 COP 29.0K

17.83%

Cappuccino

$1.83 MDL 31.37

$2.94 COP 9,040

-37.76%

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

$1.13 MDL 19.42

$1.86 COP 5,735

-39.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 MDL 11.67

$1.46 COP 4,479

-53.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 MDL 19.49

$3.21 COP 9,882

-64.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 MDL 25.28

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-74.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 MDL 21.52

$1.44 COP 4,428

-13.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 MDL 8.80

$2.40 COP 7,389

-78.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MDL 28.15

$1.70 COP 5,228

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.32 MDL 39.81

$2.89 COP 8,896

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 MDL 121

$10.06 COP 30.9K

-30.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 MDL 84.3

$9.97 COP 30.7K

-50.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.55 MDL 112

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-53.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 MDL 17.33

$3.98 COP 12.3K

-74.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 MDL 39.34

$1.58 COP 4,878

44.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MDL 33.71

$2.15 COP 6,624

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 MDL 42.49

$2.30 COP 7,078

7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 MDL 13.49

$2.00 COP 6,169

-60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.54 MDL 9.22

$1.51 COP 4,646

-64.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 MDL 8.22

$1.20 COP 3,701

-60.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 MDL 9.62

$1.28 COP 3,946

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.33 MDL 57.1

$3.84 COP 11.8K

-13.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.70 MDL 80.6

$14.01 COP 43.1K

-66.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 MDL 25.12

$1.71 COP 5,256

-14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 MDL 35.13

$2.74 COP 8,440

-25.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 MDL 5.74

$1.25 COP 3,834

-73.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.12 MDL 294

$77.9 COP 239.7K

-78.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 MDL 49.46

$1.31 COP 4,016

119.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.25 MDL 4.24

$2.17 COP 6,680

-88.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MDL 99.1

$8.29 COP 25.5K

-30.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MDL 26.37

$1.36 COP 4,172

13.24%

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

$34.4K MDL 589.9K

$27.5K COP 84.5M

25.12%

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

$24.8K MDL 425.4K

$36.5K COP 112.4M

-32.16%

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

$234 MDL 4,023

$169 COP 519.2K

38.96%

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

$7.97 MDL 137

$13.57 COP 41.8K

-41.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.82 MDL 203

$28.32 COP 87.2K

-58.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.25 MDL 639

$45.71 COP 140.7K

-18.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.09 MDL 276

$17.22 COP 53.0K

-6.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 MDL 132

$6.65 COP 20.5K

15.79%

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

$115 MDL 1,981

$803 COP 2.5M

-85.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,508 MDL 94.5K

$9,190 COP 28.3M

-40.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.71 MDL 784

$87.4 COP 268.8K

-47.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 MDL 603

$59.4 COP 182.7K

-40.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$57.3 MDL 984

$139 COP 427.5K

-58.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MDL 886

$102 COP 314.0K

-49.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$411 MDL 7,053

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-61.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 MDL 4,992

$653 COP 2.0M

-55.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 MDL 12.0K

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-63.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 MDL 9,114

$1,048 COP 3.2M

-49.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,462 MDL 25.1K

$4,123 COP 12.7M

-64.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,026 MDL 17.6K

$1,697 COP 5.2M

-39.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$627 MDL 10.8K

$655 COP 2.0M

-4.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-26.87%

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

Last update for Balti: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $411 in Balti versus $1,071 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 5% 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 $23.00 in Balti versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $300 – making Balti 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

Balti vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $995 in Balti, $1,641 in Medellin – roughly 65% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,493 per month in Balti and $2,462 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.

Kindergarten costs $115 per month in Balti and $803 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $995, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $995 in Balti to $1,641 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.