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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Barlad vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,604 per month in Barlad vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,171 per month in Barlad vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Barlad is about 40% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Barlad sits 24% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.64 RON 48.06

$8.03 COP 25.1K

32.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.71 RON 188

$48.26 COP 150.8K

-13.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 RON 33.88

$9.77 COP 30.5K

-23.23%

Cappuccino

$2.67 RON 12.06

$2.91 COP 9,095

-8.25%

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

$2.04 RON 9.23

$1.94 COP 6,074

5.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 RON 7.57

$1.52 COP 4,754

9.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 RON 9.69

$3.09 COP 9,663

-30.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 RON 11.64

$5.74 COP 17.9K

-55.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 RON 6.32

$1.36 COP 4,262

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 RON 5.83

$2.39 COP 7,460

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 RON 6.38

$1.70 COP 5,314

-17.06%

Eggs

$3.10 RON 13.98

$2.87 COP 8,967

8.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 RON 33.47

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-25.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 RON 29.44

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-39.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 RON 47.99

$14.73 COP 46.0K

-27.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-69.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 RON 6.54

$1.57 COP 4,911

-7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 RON 6.23

$2.13 COP 6,642

-35.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 RON 10.39

$2.21 COP 6,917

4.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.54

$2.05 COP 6,396

-61.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 RON 3.50

$1.50 COP 4,700

-48.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 RON 3.85

$1.19 COP 3,718

-28.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 RON 4.23

$1.16 COP 3,619

-18.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.86 RON 31.00

$3.90 COP 12.2K

75.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.36 RON 28.71

$14.44 COP 45.1K

-55.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 RON 5.69

$1.58 COP 4,948

-20.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RON 6.82

$2.83 COP 8,836

-46.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 RON 2.37

$1.17 COP 3,650

-55.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.51 RON 97.2

$77.7 COP 242.9K

-72.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.75 RON 3.40

$1.28 COP 4,014

-41.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 RON 3.35

$2.09 COP 6,537

-64.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 RON 31.82

$8.62 COP 26.9K

-18.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.84 RON 8.30

$1.30 COP 4,056

41.54%

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

$28.5K RON 129.0K

$27.7K COP 86.4M

3.21%

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

$29.1K RON 131.6K

$35.5K COP 110.9M

-17.97%

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

$165 RON 743

$176 COP 550.1K

-6.57%

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

$9.46 RON 42.73

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.15 RON 41.34

$29.89 COP 93.4K

-69.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.78 RON 166

$44.76 COP 139.8K

-17.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.62 RON 102

$17.06 COP 53.3K

32.59%

Cinema Ticket

$7.18 RON 32.44

$6.20 COP 19.4K

15.81%

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

$444 RON 2,008

$793 COP 2.5M

-43.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,345 RON 28.7K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-29.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 RON 280

$85.6 COP 267.5K

-27.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.63 RON 193

$58.5 COP 182.7K

-27.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 RON 388

$136 COP 425.9K

-36.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 RON 347

$103 COP 322.2K

-25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 RON 1,600

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-66.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$328 RON 1,483

$680 COP 2.1M

-51.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 RON 2,753

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-69.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$450 RON 2,033

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-61.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,862 RON 8,414

$4,111 COP 12.8M

-54.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,415 RON 6,393

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-16.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.97

10.94

-36.29%

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

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Barlad versus $1,060 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 $42.00 in Barlad versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $204 vs $303 – making Barlad 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: $1,037 in Barlad, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 65% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Barlad and $2,574 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 261% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $444 per month in Barlad and $793 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 $1,037, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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 $1,037 in Barlad to $1,716 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.