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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $850 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,351 per month in Barranquilla vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,852 per month in Barranquilla vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Barranquilla is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Barranquilla and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Barranquilla 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.79 COP 15.6K

$6.16 COP 20.0K

-22.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.41 COP 102.1K

$32.60 COP 106.0K

-3.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 COP 23.8K

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.76 COP 5,718

$1.72 COP 5,592

2.33%

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

$0.85 COP 2,761

$1.05 COP 3,416

-19.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 COP 2,096

$0.77 COP 2,511

-16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 COP 4,378

$1.69 COP 5,480

-20.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 COP 6,132

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,216

$1.05 COP 3,418

-5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,107

$1.30 COP 4,230

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,477

$1.40 COP 4,538

-23.57%

Eggs

$2.06 COP 6,709

$2.16 COP 7,037

-4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.70 COP 15.3K

$4.39 COP 14.3K

7.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.19 COP 16.9K

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-11.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 COP 23.3K

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.87 COP 9,330

$2.28 COP 7,415

25.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,394

$1.11 COP 3,599

21.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,919

$1.53 COP 4,976

-1.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 COP 2,676

$1.35 COP 4,405

-39.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 COP 3,084

$1.13 COP 3,669

-15.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,653

$1.13 COP 3,687

26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 COP 2,795

$0.85 COP 2,749

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 COP 1,868

$0.91 COP 2,971

-37.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 COP 8,890

$2.34 COP 7,619

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.25 COP 36.6K

$12.37 COP 40.2K

-9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,963

$1.20 COP 3,904

-24.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 COP 4,346

$2.49 COP 8,094

-46.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 COP 2,319

$0.84 COP 2,724

-15.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.39 COP 105.3K

$40.57 COP 131.9K

-20.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.92 COP 6,236

$1.42 COP 4,617

35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.96 COP 9,614

$1.92 COP 6,227

54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 COP 16.1K

$7.66 COP 24.9K

-35.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 COP 3,262

$0.99 COP 3,219

1.01%

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

$14.9K COP 48.3M

$18.0K COP 58.6M

-17.57%

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

$22.4K COP 72.8M

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-15.89%

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

$139 COP 451.9K

$80.8 COP 262.7K

72.00%

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

$8.09 COP 26.3K

$9.95 COP 32.3K

-18.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.84 COP 71.0K

$24.18 COP 78.6K

-9.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.43 COP 69.7K

$25.08 COP 81.5K

-14.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.66 COP 47.7K

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-23.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.20 COP 13.6K

$3.98 COP 13.0K

5.53%

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

$61.7 COP 200.7K

$305 COP 992.2K

-79.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 COP 6.0M

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-69.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 COP 201.5K

$58.1 COP 189.0K

6.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 174.8K

$32.20 COP 104.7K

66.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 COP 260.1K

$101 COP 327.5K

-20.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.8 COP 233.3K

$108 COP 350.3K

-33.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$236 COP 765.8K

$477 COP 1.5M

-50.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$220 COP 713.8K

$376 COP 1.2M

-41.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$531 COP 1.7M

$845 COP 2.7M

-37.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$456 COP 1.5M

$730 COP 2.4M

-37.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,791 COP 5.8M

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-44.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$686 COP 2.2M

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-49.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$544 COP 1.8M

$617 COP 2.0M

-11.75%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $236 in Barranquilla versus $477 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 13% 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: $175 vs $193 – 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 21% 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 $1,276 per month in Barranquilla and $1,546 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 $850 in Barranquilla and $1,031 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 $850, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $850 versus $1,031 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.