Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbacena and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbacena and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $690 in Barbacena versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Barbacena versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,464 in Barbacena versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Barbacena costs roughly 32% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barbacena 49% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.64 R$18.41

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-38.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.94 R$80.7

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-52.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.40 R$22.26

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-39.14%

Cappuccino

$0.87 R$4.41

$1.63 COP 5,687

-46.63%

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

$1.33 R$6.71

$1.09 COP 3,821

22.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 R$3.76

$0.73 COP 2,548

1.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.92 R$4.66

$1.74 COP 6,065

-47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R$8.15

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-50.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 R$5.17

$1.05 COP 3,662

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.50 R$7.61

$1.29 COP 4,515

16.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.31

$1.32 COP 4,617

-5.30%

Eggs

$1.87 R$9.48

$2.27 COP 7,927

-17.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.25 R$31.66

$4.35 COP 15.2K

43.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 R$16.75

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-43.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 R$37.33

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-14.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.38

$2.25 COP 7,844

-52.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.54

$1.07 COP 3,733

39.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.43

$1.52 COP 5,322

-3.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.36

$1.42 COP 4,964

-25.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 R$3.78

$1.17 COP 4,084

-35.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.22

$1.17 COP 4,077

-11.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 R$2.60

$0.89 COP 3,096

-42.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 R$2.83

$0.90 COP 3,146

-37.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.59 R$8.05

$2.25 COP 7,837

-29.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.69 R$28.82

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-48.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.39

$1.14 COP 3,977

-41.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 R$13.66

$2.38 COP 8,301

13.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.45

$0.84 COP 2,916

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.95 R$192

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-9.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 R$5.40

$1.41 COP 4,912

-24.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.67 R$3.39

$1.90 COP 6,634

-64.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.39 R$37.43

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-4.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.98 R$4.99

$1.01 COP 3,509

-2.97%

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

$13.4K R$67.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

-23.98%

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

$10.8K R$54.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-59.15%

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

$75.6 R$383

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-9.67%

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

$20.05 R$102

$9.45 COP 33.0K

112.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.59 R$63.7

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-47.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.77 R$115

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-10.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 R$108

$19.14 COP 66.8K

11.60%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 R$31.40

$4.10 COP 14.3K

51.22%

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

$448 R$2,270

$312 COP 1.1M

43.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,397 R$32.4K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

6.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 R$322

$58.0 COP 202.6K

9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.07 R$183

$32.56 COP 113.6K

10.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 R$500

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-0.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 R$405

$109 COP 378.8K

-26.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 R$1,044

$482 COP 1.7M

-57.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 R$768

$379 COP 1.3M

-60.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$384 R$1,942

$837 COP 2.9M

-54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 R$1,427

$723 COP 2.5M

-61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,536 R$7,777

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-45.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,224 R$6,198

$1,223 COP 4.3M

0.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

13.43

-13.63%

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

Last update for Barbacena: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Barbacena and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $16.00 in Barbacena vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $190 per month, with Barbacena 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

Barbacena vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbacena and Medellin differ by about 47% in total monthly costs ($690 vs $1,017 including rent). Barbacena is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,035 in Barbacena and $1,525 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: $206 in Barbacena versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $690 per month in Barbacena versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Barbacena runs roughly 11% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $690 in Barbacena versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barbacena but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Barbacena the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barbacena gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.