Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barranquilla and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,480 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,301 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,122 per month in Barranquilla vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Barranquilla and Medellin sit above the global median – Barranquilla by 8%, Medellin by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$8.03 COP 25.3K

4.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.5 COP 197.2K

$48.26 COP 152.3K

29.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.66 COP 40.0K

$9.77 COP 30.8K

29.58%

Cappuccino

$2.78 COP 8,783

$2.91 COP 9,185

-4.47%

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

$1.34 COP 4,215

$1.94 COP 6,134

-30.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 COP 4,084

$1.52 COP 4,801

-15.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.05 COP 12.8K

$3.09 COP 9,759

31.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.94 COP 25.1K

$5.74 COP 18.1K

38.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 COP 2,780

$1.36 COP 4,304

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$2.39 COP 7,534

-46.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,106

$1.70 COP 5,366

-4.71%

Eggs

$2.10 COP 6,612

$2.87 COP 9,056

-26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.97 COP 15.7K

$9.94 COP 31.4K

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 COP 56.6K

$10.78 COP 34.0K

66.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 COP 22.5K

$14.73 COP 46.5K

-51.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,160

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-44.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.93 COP 2,933

$1.57 COP 4,960

-40.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 COP 1,904

$2.13 COP 6,708

-71.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.85 COP 5,841

$2.21 COP 6,985

-16.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 COP 3,943

$2.05 COP 6,460

-39.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 COP 3,089

$1.50 COP 4,747

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 COP 3,950

$1.19 COP 3,755

5.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 2,947

$1.16 COP 3,654

-19.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 COP 16.1K

$3.90 COP 12.3K

30.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.85 COP 40.6K

$14.44 COP 45.6K

-11.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 COP 4,855

$1.58 COP 4,997

-2.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 COP 15.4K

$2.83 COP 8,923

72.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 COP 3,800

$1.17 COP 3,686

2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 COP 10.9K

$1.28 COP 4,054

170.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.22 COP 10.2K

$2.09 COP 6,602

54.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.59 COP 49.2K

$8.62 COP 27.2K

80.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,230

$1.30 COP 4,096

3.08%

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

$22.1K COP 69.7M

$27.7K COP 87.3M

-20.17%

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

$29.2K COP 92.2M

$35.5K COP 112.0M

-17.71%

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

$151 COP 475.8K

$176 COP 555.6K

-14.36%

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

$14.54 COP 45.9K

$13.37 COP 42.2K

8.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.67 COP 103.1K

$29.89 COP 94.3K

9.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.51 COP 108.9K

$44.76 COP 141.2K

-22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 COP 15.2K

$6.20 COP 19.6K

-22.26%

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

$323 COP 1.0M

$793 COP 2.5M

-59.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 COP 14.8M

$9,019 COP 28.5M

-48.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 COP 353.1K

$85.6 COP 270.1K

30.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 COP 148.7K

$58.5 COP 184.5K

-19.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$190 COP 599.2K

$136 COP 430.1K

39.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$255 COP 804.8K

$103 COP 325.4K

147.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$794 COP 2.5M

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-25.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 COP 1.6M

$680 COP 2.1M

-25.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$806 COP 2.5M

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-59.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$915 COP 2.9M

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-21.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 COP 5.9M

$4,111 COP 13.0M

-54.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$647 COP 2.0M

$1,701 COP 5.4M

-61.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$513 COP 1.6M

$665 COP 2.1M

-22.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-8.59%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $794 in Barranquilla 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.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Barranquilla versus $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $256 in Barranquilla vs $303 in Medellin – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Barranquilla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 16% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,220 per month in Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,480 in Barranquilla and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $323 per month in Barranquilla and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $1,480, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $1,480 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. 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.