Cost of Living Comparison Between Banos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Banos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $871 in Banos versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,323 in Banos versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,774 in Banos versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Banos costs roughly 14% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Banos 35% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 $2.71

$5.93 COP 19.0K

-54.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.75 $29.75

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 $5.06

$7.12 COP 22.8K

-28.93%

Cappuccino

$2.62 $2.62

$1.71 COP 5,457

53.22%

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

$0.90 $0.90

$1.05 COP 3,356

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.72 COP 2,311

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.72 COP 5,502

75.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-35.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.06 COP 3,408

-5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.31 COP 4,192

33.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.33 COP 4,256

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.47 $1.47

$2.28 COP 7,298

-35.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$4.42 COP 14.1K

36.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-14.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.11 $6.11

$8.64 COP 27.7K

-29.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.34 COP 7,504

-12.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.10 COP 3,527

-4.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.47 COP 4,698

-28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.38 COP 4,415

-22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.17 COP 3,754

-58.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.17 COP 3,744

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.90 COP 2,890

-46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.84 COP 2,693

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.88 $5.88

$2.33 COP 7,449

152.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 $11.98

$11.92 COP 38.1K

0.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.15 COP 3,673

35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.42 COP 7,749

-9.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.84 COP 2,687

-60.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.25 $24.25

$40.83 COP 130.7K

-40.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.41 COP 4,517

-12.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.91 COP 6,127

-47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.91 $9.91

$7.83 COP 25.0K

26.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.94 COP 3,020

-31.91%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

38.92%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

10.38%

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

$37.19 $37.19

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-55.33%

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

$13.55 $13.55

$9.66 COP 30.9K

40.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.10 $32.10

$24.22 COP 77.5K

32.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.16 $30.16

$25.22 COP 80.7K

19.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.45 $14.45

$19.33 COP 61.9K

-25.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 $7.69

$4.07 COP 13.0K

88.94%

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

$311 $311

$307 COP 981.2K

1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,818 $5,818

$5,981 COP 19.1M

-2.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-12.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 $43.07

$32.65 COP 104.5K

31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$101 COP 323.5K

2.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 $112

$108 COP 345.7K

3.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 $348

$476 COP 1.5M

-26.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 $322

$379 COP 1.2M

-14.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 $633

$816 COP 2.6M

-22.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 $500

$707 COP 2.3M

-29.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,276 $1,276

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-60.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$702 $702

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-51.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.35

13.43

-30.38%

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

Last update for Banos: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $348 in Banos and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Banos vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $192 per month, with Banos cheaper across the board.

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

Banos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Banos wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Banos the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,307 in Banos and $1,527 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $348 in Banos versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Banos – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $871 in Banos versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Banos but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Banos the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Banos delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $871 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Banos hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Banos 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 Banos gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.