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: $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,472 in Barquisimeto versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,083 in Barquisimeto versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Barquisimeto costs roughly 50% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barquisimeto is 37% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.95 VES 8,078

$8.03 COP 25.1K

23.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.50 VES 40.2K

$48.26 COP 151.0K

2.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 VES 9,350

$9.77 COP 30.6K

17.91%

Cappuccino

$1.72 VES 1,393

$2.91 COP 9,107

-40.89%

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

$1.52 VES 1,236

$1.94 COP 6,082

-21.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 VES 932

$1.52 COP 4,760

-24.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 VES 1,038

$3.09 COP 9,676

-58.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 VES 2,724

$5.74 COP 18.0K

-41.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 VES 2,420

$1.36 COP 4,267

119.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 VES 1,921

$2.39 COP 7,470

-0.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 VES 1,734

$1.70 COP 5,321

25.88%

Eggs

$3.27 VES 2,657

$2.87 COP 8,979

13.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.85 VES 6,375

$9.94 COP 31.1K

-21.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.03 VES 7,331

$10.78 COP 33.7K

-16.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 VES 8,647

$14.73 COP 46.1K

-27.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 VES 3,730

$4.09 COP 12.8K

12.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 VES 1,637

$1.57 COP 4,917

28.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 VES 597

$2.13 COP 6,651

-65.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.92 VES 746

$2.21 COP 6,926

-58.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 VES 775

$2.05 COP 6,404

-53.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 VES 1,095

$1.50 COP 4,706

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 VES 529

$1.19 COP 3,723

-45.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 VES 1,309

$1.16 COP 3,623

38.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.92 VES 2,368

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-25.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 VES 9,590

$14.44 COP 45.2K

-18.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 VES 1,018

$1.58 COP 4,955

-20.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 VES 2,284

$2.83 COP 8,847

-0.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 VES 324

$1.17 COP 3,655

-65.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.68 VES 32.2K

$77.7 COP 243.2K

-48.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.96 VES 4,026

$1.28 COP 4,019

287.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 VES 2,063

$2.09 COP 6,546

21.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.22 VES 12.4K

$8.62 COP 27.0K

76.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 VES 611

$1.30 COP 4,061

-42.31%

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

$25.1K VES 20.4M

$27.7K COP 86.5M

-9.15%

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

$31.3K VES 25.4M

$35.5K COP 111.1M

-11.83%

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

$15.36 VES 12.5K

$176 COP 550.9K

-91.28%

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

$7.87 VES 6,386

$13.37 COP 41.8K

-41.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.72 VES 29.8K

$29.89 COP 93.5K

22.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.48 VES 27.2K

$44.76 COP 140.0K

-25.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.72 VES 7,081

$17.06 COP 53.4K

-48.89%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 VES 4,100

$6.20 COP 19.4K

-18.55%

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

$56.4 VES 45.8K

$793 COP 2.5M

-92.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$494 VES 401.1K

$9,019 COP 28.2M

-94.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.83 VES 38.0K

$85.6 COP 267.8K

-45.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.74 VES 32.3K

$58.5 COP 182.9K

-32.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 VES 83.5K

$136 COP 426.4K

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.5 VES 66.1K

$103 COP 322.6K

-20.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 VES 173.2K

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-79.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$142 VES 115.3K

$680 COP 2.1M

-79.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$464 VES 376.7K

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-76.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 VES 261.2K

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-72.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$474 VES 384.4K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-88.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$253 VES 205.4K

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-85.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$185 VES 150.6K

$665 COP 2.1M

-72.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

128.52%

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

Last update for Barquisimeto: September 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Barquisimeto and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 259% 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: $49.00 in Barquisimeto vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $281 vs $303, with Barquisimeto 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 99% in total monthly costs ($861 vs $1,716 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 259% 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: $213 in Barquisimeto versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Barquisimeto – a meal for two runs $49.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $861 per month in Barquisimeto versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Barquisimeto versus $1,716 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 99% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.