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: $1,961 in Barbados versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,190 in Barbados versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,418 in Barbados versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Barbados is roughly 93% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 46% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.86 BBD 39.72

$5.95 COP 20.8K

233.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$111 BBD 223

$33.33 COP 116.3K

234.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$7.23 COP 25.2K

42.88%

Cappuccino

$4.47 BBD 8.93

$1.63 COP 5,687

174.23%

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

$2.06 BBD 4.11

$1.09 COP 3,821

88.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 BBD 2.97

$0.73 COP 2,548

102.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 BBD 5.90

$1.74 COP 6,065

69.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 BBD 8.13

$3.23 COP 11.3K

25.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.05 COP 3,662

232.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.61 BBD 5.22

$1.29 COP 4,515

102.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 BBD 9.18

$1.32 COP 4,617

247.73%

Eggs

$5.85 BBD 11.71

$2.27 COP 7,927

157.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$4.35 COP 15.2K

57.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.03 BBD 26.07

$5.88 COP 20.5K

121.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 BBD 20.65

$8.61 COP 30.0K

19.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 BBD 9.45

$2.25 COP 7,844

109.78%

Banana (1kg)

$3.18 BBD 6.36

$1.07 COP 3,733

197.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 BBD 10.87

$1.52 COP 5,322

257.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 BBD 10.49

$1.42 COP 4,964

269.72%

Potato (1kg)

$5.51 BBD 11.02

$1.17 COP 4,084

370.94%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 BBD 9.81

$1.17 COP 4,077

318.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 BBD 5.64

$0.89 COP 3,096

216.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$0.90 COP 3,146

240.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 BBD 14.63

$2.25 COP 7,837

225.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.84 BBD 31.68

$11.04 COP 38.5K

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 BBD 3.51

$1.14 COP 3,977

53.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 BBD 5.52

$2.38 COP 8,301

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$0.84 COP 2,916

105.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 BBD 12.45

$1.41 COP 4,912

341.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BBD 6.97

$1.90 COP 6,634

83.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.11 BBD 44.21

$7.75 COP 27.0K

185.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.99 BBD 3.98

$1.01 COP 3,509

97.03%

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

$50.6K BBD 101.2K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

187.86%

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

$39.9K BBD 79.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

50.60%

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

$194 BBD 388

$83.7 COP 292.1K

132.06%

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

$49.35 BBD 98.7

$9.45 COP 33.0K

422.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.9 BBD 176

$24.11 COP 84.1K

264.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.3 BBD 145

$25.31 COP 88.3K

185.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.10

$4.10 COP 14.3K

145.12%

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

$265 BBD 529

$312 COP 1.1M

-15.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 BBD 111

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-4.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.59 BBD 57.2

$32.56 COP 113.6K

-12.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 BBD 178

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-10.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 BBD 112

$109 COP 378.8K

-48.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$673 BBD 1,346

$482 COP 1.7M

39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 BBD 1,359

$379 COP 1.3M

79.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,140 BBD 4,280

$837 COP 2.9M

155.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 BBD 2,806

$723 COP 2.5M

94.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,315 BBD 2,630

$541 COP 1.9M

143.11%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $673 in Barbados and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 143% 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: $111 in Barbados vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $430 vs $190 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 93% in total monthly costs ($1,961 vs $1,017 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barbados pays 143% more on average, 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: $673 in Barbados versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 127% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,961 per month in Barbados versus $1,017 in Medellin – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,961 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 93% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.