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: $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $939 in Barquisimeto versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,322 in Barquisimeto versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 45% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Barquisimeto 58% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.40 VES 4,124

$5.99 COP 21.4K

23.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.54 VES 17.0K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-7.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 VES 5,655

$7.09 COP 25.3K

43.16%

Cappuccino

$1.01 VES 565

$1.71 COP 6,115

-40.94%

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

$1.18 VES 658

$1.10 COP 3,924

7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 VES 397

$0.78 COP 2,781

-8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 VES 821

$1.68 COP 5,997

-12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 VES 856

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-49.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 VES 850

$1.09 COP 3,906

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 VES 1,383

$1.26 COP 4,508

96.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.38 COP 4,922

-28.26%

Eggs

$1.62 VES 902

$2.19 COP 7,827

-26.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.10 VES 2,284

$4.40 COP 15.7K

-6.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 VES 2,817

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-10.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.05 VES 3,926

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 VES 2,734

$2.34 COP 8,349

109.83%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 VES 547

$1.06 COP 3,777

-7.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 VES 548

$1.50 COP 5,374

-34.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 VES 544

$1.38 COP 4,924

-28.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 VES 550

$1.15 COP 4,111

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 VES 819

$1.16 COP 4,155

26.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 VES 288

$0.89 COP 3,182

-41.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 566

$0.84 COP 2,997

21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 VES 1,713

$2.28 COP 8,145

34.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.37 VES 7,453

$10.64 COP 38.0K

25.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 VES 434

$1.20 COP 4,284

-35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 VES 567

$2.47 COP 8,824

-58.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 VES 245

$0.86 COP 3,056

-48.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.11 VES 2,847

$1.47 COP 5,264

247.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 VES 286

$0.95 COP 3,409

-46.32%

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

$24.7K VES 13.8M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

36.49%

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

$36.4K VES 20.3M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

37.44%

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

$20.08 VES 11.2K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-75.59%

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

$10.08 VES 5,618

$9.50 COP 33.9K

6.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.41 VES 22.5K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

66.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.57 VES 12.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-12.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.49 VES 2,501

$3.93 COP 14.0K

14.25%

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

$50.1 VES 27.9K

$309 COP 1.1M

-83.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.93 VES 15.6K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-52.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.91 VES 13.9K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

-23.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.3 VES 28.0K

$103 COP 366.4K

-51.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.45 VES 27.6K

$108 COP 387.2K

-54.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 VES 110.9K

$476 COP 1.7M

-58.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$50.7 VES 28.2K

$379 COP 1.4M

-86.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 VES 136.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-70.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 VES 82.9K

$724 COP 2.6M

-79.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$469 VES 261.3K

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-83.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$248 VES 138.4K

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-79.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$190 VES 105.9K

$512 COP 1.8M

-62.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $199 in Barquisimeto and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 169% 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: $31.00 in Barquisimeto vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $201 vs $188, 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 82% in total monthly costs ($557 vs $1,013 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 169% less. 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: $199 in Barquisimeto versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $557 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,013 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 82% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.