Cost of Living Comparison Between Barlad and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barlad and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,024 per month in Barlad vs $1,030 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,576 per month in Barlad vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,129 per month in Barlad vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Barlad is about 1% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Barlad and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Barlad 24% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.70 RON 42.10

$5.92 COP 21.2K

63.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.51 RON 198

$33.17 COP 118.7K

37.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 RON 34.64

$7.25 COP 25.9K

10.07%

Cappuccino

$2.64 RON 11.47

$1.71 COP 6,137

54.39%

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

$2.00 RON 8.70

$1.09 COP 3,915

83.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 RON 7.63

$0.77 COP 2,743

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 RON 9.87

$1.75 COP 6,254

29.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 RON 11.88

$3.18 COP 11.4K

-13.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 6.67

$1.06 COP 3,792

45.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 RON 5.33

$1.30 COP 4,657

-5.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.53

$1.38 COP 4,926

25.36%

Eggs

$3.39 RON 14.70

$2.21 COP 7,908

53.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.67 RON 37.63

$4.52 COP 16.2K

91.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.76 RON 29.33

$5.80 COP 20.7K

16.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 RON 44.27

$8.97 COP 32.1K

13.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 4.92

$2.29 COP 8,182

-50.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 RON 6.69

$1.06 COP 3,791

45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 RON 6.96

$1.51 COP 5,411

5.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.36

$1.36 COP 4,869

41.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.59

$1.16 COP 4,146

-28.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 RON 4.21

$1.17 COP 4,174

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 RON 3.77

$0.83 COP 2,960

4.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 RON 3.33

$0.85 COP 3,043

-9.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.76 RON 25.01

$2.35 COP 8,423

145.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.89 RON 34.26

$11.09 COP 39.7K

-28.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 RON 4.63

$1.15 COP 4,133

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 RON 7.40

$2.47 COP 8,853

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 RON 3.04

$0.79 COP 2,827

-11.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.64 RON 85.2

$41.85 COP 149.8K

-53.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.09

$1.44 COP 5,140

-50.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.73 RON 3.19

$1.90 COP 6,793

-61.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 RON 29.57

$7.70 COP 27.6K

-11.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 RON 6.65

$1.03 COP 3,680

48.54%

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

$28.3K RON 122.8K

$17.7K COP 63.3M

60.06%

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

$27.2K RON 118.2K

$27.0K COP 96.7M

0.78%

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

$152 RON 659

$81.4 COP 291.4K

86.47%

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

$7.89 RON 34.24

$9.42 COP 33.7K

-16.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.04 RON 39.25

$23.77 COP 85.1K

-61.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.38 RON 180

$25.86 COP 92.6K

60.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.08 RON 82.8

$19.34 COP 69.2K

-1.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 RON 29.81

$4.05 COP 14.5K

69.63%

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

$424 RON 1,840

$312 COP 1.1M

35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,014 RON 30.4K

$6,067 COP 21.7M

15.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 RON 292

$58.9 COP 210.7K

14.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.54 RON 167

$32.82 COP 117.5K

17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 RON 327

$100 COP 359.6K

-24.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 RON 407

$106 COP 380.3K

-11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$393 RON 1,705

$490 COP 1.8M

-19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 RON 1,280

$371 COP 1.3M

-20.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 RON 2,510

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 RON 1,933

$715 COP 2.6M

-37.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,024 RON 8,782

$2,952 COP 10.6M

-31.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,552 RON 6,737

$1,394 COP 5.0M

11.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

13.43

-51.15%

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

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $393 in Barlad versus $490 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Barlad versus $33 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Barlad vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,024 in Barlad, $1,030 in Medellin – roughly 1% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,535 per month in Barlad and $1,544 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barlad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 113% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $424 per month in Barlad and $312 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,024, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,024 in Barlad to $1,030 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Barlad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.