Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barbados and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,898 in Barbados versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,102 in Barbados versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,306 in Barbados versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Barbados is roughly 89% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 43% above, Medellin is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.10 BBD 40.20

$5.91 COP 18.9K

240.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 223

$32.96 COP 105.2K

238.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 BBD 20.41

$7.43 COP 23.7K

37.28%

Cappuccino

$4.35 BBD 8.69

$1.65 COP 5,276

163.64%

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

$2.05 BBD 4.11

$1.10 COP 3,514

86.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 BBD 2.97

$0.78 COP 2,491

91.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.94 BBD 5.89

$1.72 COP 5,484

70.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 BBD 7.90

$3.18 COP 10.1K

24.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.54 BBD 7.08

$1.10 COP 3,521

221.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.59 BBD 5.18

$1.26 COP 4,015

105.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 BBD 9.26

$1.38 COP 4,407

235.51%

Eggs

$5.82 BBD 11.65

$2.18 COP 6,950

166.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.56 BBD 13.11

$4.49 COP 14.3K

46.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.28 BBD 26.57

$5.79 COP 18.5K

129.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.42 BBD 20.85

$8.97 COP 28.6K

16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.61 BBD 9.21

$2.32 COP 7,405

98.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 BBD 6.11

$1.06 COP 3,397

187.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.50

$1.52 COP 4,838

245.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.40 BBD 10.80

$1.36 COP 4,327

297.06%

Potato (1kg)

$5.64 BBD 11.28

$1.13 COP 3,599

399.12%

Onion (1kg)

$4.88 BBD 9.77

$1.17 COP 3,738

317.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$0.90 COP 2,876

215.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 BBD 6.03

$0.90 COP 2,861

235.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.41 BBD 14.83

$2.23 COP 7,128

232.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.18 BBD 32.37

$12.12 COP 38.7K

33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 BBD 3.39

$1.19 COP 3,793

42.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 BBD 5.76

$2.48 COP 7,920

16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BBD 3.56

$0.85 COP 2,723

109.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 BBD 12.80

$1.42 COP 4,518

350.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 BBD 6.66

$1.95 COP 6,223

70.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.24 BBD 44.48

$7.89 COP 25.2K

181.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.00 BBD 4.00

$0.99 COP 3,160

102.02%

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

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

178.56%

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

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

49.49%

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

$192 BBD 384

$83.0 COP 264.9K

131.48%

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

$48.96 BBD 97.9

$9.70 COP 30.9K

404.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.8 BBD 176

$23.52 COP 75.0K

273.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 BBD 147

$25.26 COP 80.6K

191.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$10.16 BBD 20.32

$3.95 COP 12.6K

157.22%

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

$263 BBD 526

$316 COP 1.0M

-16.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.2 BBD 110

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-8.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.15 BBD 56.3

$31.82 COP 101.5K

-11.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 BBD 173

$102 COP 324.4K

-14.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.9 BBD 110

$107 COP 342.8K

-48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$657 BBD 1,314

$475 COP 1.5M

38.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 BBD 1,319

$374 COP 1.2M

76.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 BBD 4,217

$849 COP 2.7M

148.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 BBD 2,818

$719 COP 2.3M

95.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,341 BBD 2,683

$624 COP 2.0M

114.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.4

13.43

-44.90%

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

Last update for Barbados: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $657 in Barbados and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 115% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $112 in Barbados vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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

Barbados vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barbados and Medellin differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,898 vs $1,003 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 115% higher in Barbados, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $657 in Barbados versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 123% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,898 per month in Barbados versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,898 in Barbados, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin 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.

Safety-wise, Barbados 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.