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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $866 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,363 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,859 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 14% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 35% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.96 COP 110.6K

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-5.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 COP 25.6K

$7.09 COP 25.3K

0.99%

Cappuccino

$1.75 COP 6,267

$1.71 COP 6,115

2.34%

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

$0.92 COP 3,296

$1.10 COP 3,924

-16.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 COP 2,146

$0.78 COP 2,781

-23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 COP 4,886

$1.68 COP 5,997

-18.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 COP 6,877

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-37.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,360

$1.09 COP 3,906

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 COP 4,749

$1.26 COP 4,508

5.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 COP 3,667

$1.38 COP 4,922

-25.36%

Eggs

$2.03 COP 7,266

$2.19 COP 7,827

-7.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.51 COP 16.1K

$4.40 COP 15.7K

2.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.21 COP 18.6K

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-7.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.14 COP 25.5K

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 COP 10.3K

$2.34 COP 8,349

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,852

$1.06 COP 3,777

28.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,434

$1.50 COP 5,374

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 COP 3,037

$1.38 COP 4,924

-38.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 COP 3,226

$1.15 COP 4,111

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,361

$1.16 COP 4,155

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 COP 2,909

$0.89 COP 3,182

-8.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 COP 2,202

$0.84 COP 2,997

-26.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 COP 10.0K

$2.28 COP 8,145

23.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.55 COP 34.1K

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 COP 3,179

$1.20 COP 4,284

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,694

$2.47 COP 8,824

-46.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 COP 2,732

$0.86 COP 3,056

-11.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.20 COP 115.0K

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-22.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,848

$1.47 COP 5,264

30.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.82 COP 10.1K

$1.96 COP 7,009

43.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.94 COP 17.6K

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-36.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,584

$0.95 COP 3,409

5.26%

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

$15.0K COP 53.6M

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-17.28%

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

$22.1K COP 78.9M

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-16.60%

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

$139 COP 495.3K

$82.3 COP 293.7K

68.63%

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

$8.13 COP 29.0K

$9.50 COP 33.9K

-14.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.37 COP 76.3K

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.44 COP 76.6K

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-17.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.36 COP 51.3K

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-24.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.16 COP 14.8K

$3.93 COP 14.0K

5.85%

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

$61.2 COP 218.5K

$309 COP 1.1M

-80.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,837 COP 6.6M

$5,965 COP 21.3M

-69.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 COP 219.1K

$58.7 COP 209.5K

4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 COP 187.8K

$32.35 COP 115.5K

62.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.3 COP 286.7K

$103 COP 366.4K

-21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.5 COP 255.3K

$108 COP 387.2K

-34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 COP 838.4K

$476 COP 1.7M

-50.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 COP 800.1K

$379 COP 1.4M

-40.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 COP 1.9M

$838 COP 3.0M

-35.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.6M

$724 COP 2.6M

-37.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,574 COP 5.6M

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-43.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$605 COP 2.2M

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-50.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$486 COP 1.7M

$512 COP 1.8M

-4.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $235 in Barranquilla versus $476 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 5% 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 $31.00 in Barranquilla versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $188 – making Barranquilla 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

Barranquilla vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 17% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,299 per month in Barranquilla and $1,519 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Barranquilla and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $866 in Barranquilla and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $866 versus $1,013 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.