Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barquisimeto and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $918 in Barquisimeto versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,298 in Barquisimeto versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 60% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.32 VES 5,384

$6.16 COP 20.1K

18.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.12 VES 22.1K

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-7.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.96 VES 7,319

$7.34 COP 23.9K

35.69%

Cappuccino

$0.97 VES 715

$1.72 COP 5,600

-43.60%

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

$1.20 VES 884

$1.05 COP 3,420

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 VES 540

$0.77 COP 2,515

-5.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 VES 1,085

$1.69 COP 5,488

-12.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 1,135

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-51.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 VES 1,117

$1.05 COP 3,423

44.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 VES 1,859

$1.30 COP 4,236

94.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 VES 747

$1.40 COP 4,544

-27.14%

Eggs

$1.64 VES 1,207

$2.16 COP 7,047

-24.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.06 VES 2,983

$4.39 COP 14.3K

-7.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.03 VES 3,698

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-14.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.95 VES 5,109

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-19.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 VES 3,598

$2.28 COP 7,426

114.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 723

$1.11 COP 3,604

-11.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 VES 744

$1.53 COP 4,983

-33.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 VES 756

$1.35 COP 4,410

-23.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 727

$1.13 COP 3,674

-12.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 VES 1,112

$1.13 COP 3,692

33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 384

$0.85 COP 2,753

-38.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 748

$0.91 COP 2,975

12.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.93 VES 2,156

$2.34 COP 7,630

25.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 VES 9,807

$12.37 COP 40.3K

7.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 VES 583

$1.20 COP 3,909

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 VES 718

$2.49 COP 8,104

-60.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 323

$0.84 COP 2,728

-47.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 VES 3,584

$1.42 COP 4,623

243.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 VES 359

$0.99 COP 3,223

-50.51%

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

$24.5K VES 18.0M

$18.0K COP 58.7M

35.96%

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

$35.7K VES 26.3M

$26.6K COP 86.7M

34.21%

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

$19.97 VES 14.7K

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-75.29%

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

$10.07 VES 7,399

$9.95 COP 32.4K

1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.16 VES 29.5K

$24.18 COP 78.7K

66.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.92 VES 16.9K

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-8.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.48 VES 3,294

$3.98 COP 13.0K

12.56%

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

$50.2 VES 36.9K

$305 COP 993.5K

-83.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.49 VES 20.2K

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-52.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 VES 18.0K

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-23.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.8 VES 37.4K

$101 COP 327.9K

-49.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.06 VES 36.1K

$108 COP 350.8K

-54.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 VES 148.7K

$477 COP 1.6M

-57.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.50 VES 36.4K

$376 COP 1.2M

-86.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$253 VES 185.9K

$845 COP 2.7M

-70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 VES 110.7K

$730 COP 2.4M

-79.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$473 VES 348.0K

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-85.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 VES 180.3K

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-82.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 VES 138.4K

$617 COP 2.0M

-69.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $202 in Barquisimeto and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 228% 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: $30.00 in Barquisimeto vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $202 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Barquisimeto vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barquisimeto and Medellin differ by about 91% in total monthly costs ($538 vs $1,031 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 228% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $202 in Barquisimeto versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $538 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto 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.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.