Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Barinas and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Barinas: $52.7 a month against $1,692 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $19,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Barinas, Venezuela
Medellin, Colombia
Barinas
🇻🇪 Venezuela
$52.7
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,692
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Barinas and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Barinas and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $53 per month in Barinas vs $1,692 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Barinas $53
  • Medellin $1,692

A couple spends around $79 per month in Barinas vs $2,471 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Barinas $79
  • Medellin $2,471

A family of three spends $105 per month in Barinas vs $3,249 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Barinas $105
  • Medellin $3,249

Barinas is about 97% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Barinas sits 96% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$8.34 COP 26.9K
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$46.53 COP 150.1K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
-
$9.47 COP 30.5K
-
Cappuccino
-
$3.13 COP 10.1K
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98 VES 877
$1.77 COP 5,696
-44.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.42 COP 4,594
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 COP 10.2K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$5.70 COP 18.4K
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.53 COP 4,943
-
White Bread (500g)
-
$2.29 COP 7,389
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 VES 995
$1.94 COP 6,273
-42.27%
Eggs
-
$3.07 COP 9,889
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.99 COP 32.2K
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
-
$10.45 COP 33.7K
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$13.96 COP 45.0K
-
Apples (1kg)
-
$4.05 COP 13.1K
-
Banana (1kg)
-
$1.53 COP 4,929
-
Oranges (1kg)
-
$2.10 COP 6,786
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.17 VES 1,043
$2.29 COP 7,397
-48.91%
Potato (1kg)
-
$2.11 COP 6,803
-
Onion (1kg)
-
$1.71 COP 5,512
-
Lettuce (1 head)
-
$1.17 COP 3,774
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 COP 5,096
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
-
$3.91 COP 12.6K
-
Wine (Bottle)
-
$14.04 COP 45.3K
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.76 COP 5,682
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.71 COP 8,746
-
🚌 Getting Around
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.18 COP 3,805
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$76.3 COP 246.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.97 VES 2,648
$1.81 COP 5,827
64.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$5.09 VES 4,538
$2.13 COP 6,867
138.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.13 COP 26.2K
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.28 COP 4,113
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$34.4K COP 111.1M
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$34.1K COP 110.1M
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$178 COP 573.2K
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$13.89 COP 44.8K
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
-
$30.74 COP 99.1K
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$9.99 VES 8,898
$41.94 COP 135.3K
-76.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80 COP 54.2K
-
Cinema Ticket
-
$7.47 COP 24.1K
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$790 COP 2.5M
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$12.3K COP 39.7M
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$86.3 COP 278.4K
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$59.3 COP 191.1K
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$138 COP 446.2K
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$98.8 COP 318.7K
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,341 COP 4.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$667 COP 2.2M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,976 COP 6.4M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,033 COP 3.3M
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,098 COP 13.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$1,940 COP 6.3M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Barinas
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$646 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
10.94
-

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

Last update for Barinas: November 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Barinas
–
Medellin
$667
Groceries & Markets
Barinas
–
Medellin
$307
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Barinas
–
Medellin
$222
Eating Out
Barinas
–
Medellin
$173
Clothing & Footwear
Barinas
–
Medellin
$172
Getting Around
Barinas
–
Medellin
$93
Sport & Entertainment
Barinas
–
Medellin
$57
Good to know
🇻🇪 Barinas
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:49 1:49 PM
12:49 12:49 PM
1 h behind Barinas
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
397,279
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to VES – Venezuelan Bolívar Converter

Venezuelan Bolívar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 891 VES (1,000 VES = 1.12 USD). 1 EUR = 1,001 VES (10,000 VES = 9.99 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3,225 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,624 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Barinas Medellin 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Barinas
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Barinas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Barinas and in Medellin compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $53 in Barinas, $1,692 in Medellin – Barinas comes out roughly 97% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Barinas compared to Medellin?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $79 per month in Barinas and $2,538 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Barinas or Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $53 in Barinas and $1,692 in Medellin. That makes Barinas about 97% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 2878% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Barinas, where all-in costs run around $53, than in Medellin at $1,692. In Barinas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Barinas and Medellin?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $53 in Barinas to $1,692 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Barinas vs other spots: cost of living compared

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?