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: $1,951 in Barbados versus $1,034 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,145 in Barbados versus $1,577 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,338 in Barbados versus $2,120 in Medellin.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Barbados is 46% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.29 BBD 40.58

$5.92 COP 21.4K

242.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$112 BBD 224

$32.75 COP 118.2K

242.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 BBD 20.83

$7.20 COP 26.0K

44.72%

Cappuccino

$4.51 BBD 9.02

$1.70 COP 6,140

165.29%

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

$2.04 BBD 4.08

$1.10 COP 3,966

85.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 BBD 2.85

$0.72 COP 2,605

97.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 BBD 6.15

$1.67 COP 6,022

84.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 BBD 7.89

$3.10 COP 11.2K

27.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.66 BBD 7.32

$1.06 COP 3,809

245.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 BBD 5.34

$1.25 COP 4,497

113.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 BBD 9.15

$1.39 COP 5,022

229.50%

Eggs

$6.08 BBD 12.17

$2.26 COP 8,168

169.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.85 BBD 13.69

$4.33 COP 15.6K

58.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.09 BBD 26.17

$5.84 COP 21.1K

124.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BBD 20.64

$8.83 COP 31.9K

16.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.74 BBD 9.48

$2.24 COP 8,099

111.61%

Banana (1kg)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$1.08 COP 3,882

181.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.42 BBD 10.85

$1.53 COP 5,522

254.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.36 BBD 10.72

$1.37 COP 4,950

291.24%

Potato (1kg)

$5.46 BBD 10.93

$1.13 COP 4,078

383.19%

Onion (1kg)

$4.87 BBD 9.74

$1.12 COP 4,036

334.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.86 BBD 5.72

$0.85 COP 3,057

236.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 BBD 6.13

$0.91 COP 3,281

236.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 BBD 14.87

$2.33 COP 8,414

218.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.05 BBD 32.10

$11.13 COP 40.2K

44.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.19 COP 4,309

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 BBD 5.68

$2.37 COP 8,553

19.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.74 BBD 3.47

$0.79 COP 2,838

120.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.37 BBD 12.74

$1.44 COP 5,184

342.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 BBD 6.71

$1.91 COP 6,901

75.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.18 BBD 44.37

$8.02 COP 28.9K

176.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.02 BBD 4.04

$0.94 COP 3,385

114.89%

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

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

181.82%

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

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

46.57%

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

$195 BBD 390

$84.0 COP 303.1K

131.99%

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

$48.60 BBD 97.2

$9.60 COP 34.7K

406.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.7 BBD 171

$24.16 COP 87.2K

254.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.5 BBD 145

$25.88 COP 93.4K

179.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.05 BBD 20.11

$3.92 COP 14.1K

156.38%

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

$264 BBD 529

$306 COP 1.1M

-13.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 BBD 110

$57.9 COP 209.1K

-5.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.75 BBD 57.5

$31.82 COP 114.9K

-9.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.9 BBD 174

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 BBD 112

$107 COP 386.8K

-47.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$487 COP 1.8M

34.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 BBD 1,322

$368 COP 1.3M

79.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 BBD 4,216

$826 COP 3.0M

155.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,395 BBD 2,790

$716 COP 2.6M

94.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,051 BBD 2,101

$546 COP 2.0M

92.59%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $654 in Barbados and $487 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 93% 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 $434 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 89% in total monthly costs ($1,951 vs $1,034 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Barbados pays 93% 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: $654 in Barbados versus $487 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,951 per month in Barbados versus $1,034 in Medellin – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,951 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.