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: $1,811 in Barbados versus $1,641 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,098 in Barbados versus $2,447 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,386 in Barbados versus $3,253 in Medellin.

Living in Barbados is roughly 10% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barbados 31% above, Medellin 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.44 BBD 50.9

$8.04 COP 24.8K

216.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$113 BBD 226

$48.29 COP 148.7K

133.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 BBD 25.17

$9.42 COP 29.0K

33.65%

Cappuccino

$4.66 BBD 9.32

$2.94 COP 9,045

58.50%

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

$2.17 BBD 4.34

$1.86 COP 5,738

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 BBD 3.53

$1.46 COP 4,481

21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 BBD 6.08

$3.21 COP 9,887

-5.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 BBD 8.23

$5.71 COP 17.6K

-27.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.60 BBD 7.19

$1.44 COP 4,431

150.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 BBD 5.38

$2.40 COP 7,393

12.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.03 BBD 8.07

$1.70 COP 5,230

137.06%

Eggs

$5.88 BBD 11.75

$2.89 COP 8,901

103.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 BBD 13.01

$10.06 COP 31.0K

-35.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 BBD 20.27

$9.97 COP 30.7K

1.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 BBD 22.56

$14.20 COP 43.7K

-20.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 BBD 9.94

$3.98 COP 12.3K

24.87%

Banana (1kg)

$4.29 BBD 8.58

$1.58 COP 4,880

171.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 BBD 11.03

$2.15 COP 6,627

156.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 BBD 11.38

$2.30 COP 7,082

147.39%

Potato (1kg)

$6.93 BBD 13.86

$2.00 COP 6,172

246.50%

Onion (1kg)

$4.81 BBD 9.61

$1.51 COP 4,648

218.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 BBD 5.35

$1.20 COP 3,703

122.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 BBD 5.37

$1.28 COP 3,948

109.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 BBD 13.64

$3.84 COP 11.8K

77.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.93 BBD 31.85

$14.01 COP 43.1K

13.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 BBD 3.44

$1.71 COP 5,259

0.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 BBD 5.87

$2.74 COP 8,444

7.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 BBD 3.46

$1.25 COP 3,836

38.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.98 BBD 9.97

$1.31 COP 4,018

280.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.38 BBD 6.76

$2.17 COP 6,684

55.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 BBD 3.95

$1.36 COP 4,174

44.85%

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

$49.8K BBD 99.5K

$27.5K COP 84.6M

81.17%

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

$40.7K BBD 81.4K

$36.5K COP 112.5M

11.33%

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

$98.7 BBD 197

$169 COP 519.5K

-41.52%

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

$49.27 BBD 98.5

$13.57 COP 41.8K

263.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 BBD 175

$28.32 COP 87.2K

208.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.9 BBD 150

$45.71 COP 140.8K

63.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 BBD 17.38

$6.65 COP 20.5K

30.68%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.44 BBD 92.9

$87.4 COP 269.0K

-46.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.61 BBD 39.23

$59.4 COP 182.8K

-66.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.4 BBD 123

$139 COP 427.7K

-55.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$674 BBD 1,347

$1,071 COP 3.3M

-37.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 BBD 1,308

$653 COP 2.0M

0.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 BBD 3,723

$1,925 COP 5.9M

-3.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,465 BBD 6,929

$1,048 COP 3.2M

230.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,326 BBD 2,652

$655 COP 2.0M

102.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

0.55%

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

Last update for Barbados: September 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $674 in Barbados and $1,071 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 102% 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: $113 in Barbados vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $300 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 10% in total monthly costs ($1,811 vs $1,641 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 102% 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: $674 in Barbados versus $1,071 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $113 in Barbados. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,811 per month in Barbados versus $1,641 in Medellin – a 10% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,811 in Barbados, a $2,500 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 10% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.