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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,025 per month in Barlad vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,587 per month in Barlad vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,150 per month in Barlad vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Barlad costs about 1% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.37 RON 42.67

$5.99 COP 21.5K

56.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.93 RON 214

$32.86 COP 118.1K

42.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 RON 35.66

$7.09 COP 25.5K

10.44%

Cappuccino

$2.70 RON 12.30

$1.71 COP 6,154

57.89%

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

$1.99 RON 9.04

$1.10 COP 3,949

80.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.94

$0.78 COP 2,798

123.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 RON 10.72

$1.68 COP 6,035

39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RON 12.32

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-11.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 RON 6.74

$1.09 COP 3,930

35.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 RON 5.41

$1.26 COP 4,536

-5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.89

$1.38 COP 4,953

25.36%

Eggs

$3.35 RON 15.26

$2.19 COP 7,876

52.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.39 RON 38.19

$4.40 COP 15.8K

90.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.87 RON 31.27

$5.63 COP 20.2K

22.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.50 RON 47.82

$8.89 COP 32.0K

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.13 RON 5.15

$2.34 COP 8,401

-51.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 RON 7.27

$1.06 COP 3,801

50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 RON 7.32

$1.50 COP 5,408

7.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.77

$1.38 COP 4,955

39.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.15 COP 4,137

-26.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 RON 4.19

$1.16 COP 4,181

-20.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 RON 4.08

$0.89 COP 3,202

1.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 RON 3.72

$0.84 COP 3,016

-2.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.84 RON 26.60

$2.28 COP 8,196

156.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.91 RON 26.89

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-44.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 RON 4.69

$1.20 COP 4,311

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 RON 7.70

$2.47 COP 8,880

-31.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 RON 3.24

$0.86 COP 3,075

-17.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 RON 89.8

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-52.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.76 RON 3.48

$1.47 COP 5,297

-48.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$1.96 COP 7,053

-62.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 RON 32.26

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-8.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 RON 7.00

$0.95 COP 3,430

62.11%

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

$28.3K RON 128.8K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

56.08%

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

$26.9K RON 122.5K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

1.62%

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

$147 RON 668

$82.3 COP 295.6K

78.42%

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

$7.88 RON 35.86

$9.50 COP 34.1K

-17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.12 RON 41.52

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-62.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.89 RON 191

$25.89 COP 93.0K

61.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.99 RON 86.5

$19.00 COP 68.3K

-0.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 RON 32.20

$3.93 COP 14.1K

79.90%

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

$433 RON 1,971

$309 COP 1.1M

39.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,944 RON 31.6K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

16.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.0 RON 309

$58.7 COP 210.8K

15.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.52 RON 175

$32.35 COP 116.2K

19.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.3 RON 343

$103 COP 368.7K

-26.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.2 RON 415

$108 COP 389.6K

-15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$396 RON 1,802

$476 COP 1.7M

-16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$292 RON 1,327

$379 COP 1.4M

-23.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 RON 2,665

$838 COP 3.0M

-30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 RON 2,018

$724 COP 2.6M

-38.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,967 RON 8,954

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-29.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 RON 5,566

$1,211 COP 4.4M

0.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $396 in Barlad versus $476 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 $47.00 in Barlad versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $207 vs $188 – 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: $1,025 in Barlad, $1,013 in Medellin – roughly 1% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,537 per month in Barlad and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 110% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Barlad and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Barlad at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barlad 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 $1,013 in Medellin to $1,025 in Barlad. 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barlad makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.