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: $887 in Banos versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,334 in Banos versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,780 in Banos versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Banos costs roughly 12% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Banos 34% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 $2.82

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-52.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.98 $29.98

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-8.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 $4.98

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-29.76%

Cappuccino

$2.49 $2.49

$1.71 COP 6,154

45.61%

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

$0.91 $0.91

$1.10 COP 3,949

-17.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.78 COP 2,798

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.68 COP 6,035

77.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-35.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.09 COP 3,930

-6.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.26 COP 4,536

34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.38 COP 4,953

-34.06%

Eggs

$1.46 $1.46

$2.19 COP 7,876

-33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.40 COP 15.8K

40.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-12.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.15 $6.15

$8.89 COP 32.0K

-30.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.34 COP 8,401

-9.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.06 COP 3,801

3.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.50 COP 5,408

-26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.38 COP 4,955

-24.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.15 COP 4,137

-57.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.16 COP 4,181

-15.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.48 $0.48

$0.89 COP 3,202

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.84 COP 3,016

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.28 COP 8,196

156.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$10.64 COP 38.2K

12.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.20 COP 4,311

28.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.47 COP 8,880

-14.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 $0.33

$0.86 COP 3,075

-61.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.51 $23.51

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-43.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.47 COP 5,297

-13.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.96 COP 7,053

-47.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.06 $10.06

$7.74 COP 27.8K

29.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$0.95 COP 3,430

-32.63%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

36.94%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

11.39%

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

$37.25 $37.25

$82.3 COP 295.6K

-54.71%

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

$13.80 $13.80

$9.50 COP 34.1K

45.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 $31.63

$24.23 COP 87.1K

30.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.84 $29.84

$25.89 COP 93.0K

15.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.85 $14.85

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-21.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 $7.84

$3.93 COP 14.1K

99.49%

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

$313 $313

$309 COP 1.1M

1.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,782 $5,782

$5,965 COP 21.4M

-3.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-10.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.77 $43.77

$32.35 COP 116.2K

35.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$103 COP 368.7K

1.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$108 COP 389.6K

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 $348

$476 COP 1.7M

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 $312

$379 COP 1.4M

-17.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 $614

$838 COP 3.0M

-26.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$496 $496

$724 COP 2.6M

-31.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,349 $1,349

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-51.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$759 $759

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-37.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 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 $188 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 14% 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 $1,331 in Banos and $1,519 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 6% 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 $887 in Banos versus $1,013 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 $887 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 14% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.