Cost of Living Comparison Between Barreiro and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barreiro and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,714 per month in Barreiro vs $1,034 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,390 per month in Barreiro vs $1,577 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Barreiro vs $2,120 in Medellin, rent included.

Barreiro costs about 66% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barreiro sits 28% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.83 €11.84

$5.92 COP 21.4K

133.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.98 €39.36

$32.75 COP 118.2K

40.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 €8.56

$7.20 COP 26.0K

38.89%

Cappuccino

$2.54 €2.18

$1.70 COP 6,140

49.41%

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

$2.11 €1.80

$1.10 COP 3,966

91.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.02

$0.72 COP 2,605

227.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 €2.00

$1.67 COP 6,022

40.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 €3.05

$3.10 COP 11.2K

14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.06 COP 3,809

0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 €1.30

$1.25 COP 4,497

21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.39 COP 5,022

27.34%

Eggs

$3.10 €2.65

$2.26 COP 8,168

37.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 €7.87

$4.33 COP 15.6K

112.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.82 €6.70

$5.84 COP 21.1K

33.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.44 €12.36

$8.83 COP 31.9K

63.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.56 €2.19

$2.24 COP 8,099

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.08 COP 3,882

35.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 €1.80

$1.53 COP 5,522

37.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.24

$1.37 COP 4,950

5.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 €1.25

$1.13 COP 4,078

29.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 €1.82

$1.12 COP 4,036

90.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.86 €0.73

$0.85 COP 3,057

1.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.91 COP 3,281

-21.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.12 €5.24

$2.33 COP 8,414

162.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.40 €5.48

$11.13 COP 40.2K

-42.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 €1.11

$1.19 COP 4,309

9.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 €0.98

$2.37 COP 8,553

-51.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 €1.27

$0.79 COP 2,838

88.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.95 €39.33

$41.13 COP 148.5K

11.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 €3.48

$1.44 COP 5,184

182.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 €1.02

$1.91 COP 6,901

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.23 €14.75

$8.02 COP 28.9K

114.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.89 €1.61

$0.94 COP 3,385

101.06%

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

$34.5K €29.5K

$17.9K COP 64.7M

92.30%

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

$39.1K €33.5K

$26.8K COP 96.7M

45.89%

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

$144 €124

$84.0 COP 303.1K

72.00%

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

$22.66 €19.40

$9.60 COP 34.7K

136.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.65 €37.36

$24.16 COP 87.2K

80.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.54 €28.71

$25.88 COP 93.4K

29.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.08 €12.05

$19.04 COP 68.7K

-26.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.78 €7.51

$3.92 COP 14.1K

123.98%

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

$630 €539

$306 COP 1.1M

105.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.0K

$5,919 COP 21.4M

176.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.0 €73.6

$57.9 COP 209.1K

48.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 €34.10

$31.82 COP 114.9K

25.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 €73.4

$99.9 COP 360.6K

-14.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 €79.5

$107 COP 386.8K

-13.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$977 €836

$487 COP 1.8M

100.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$796 €682

$368 COP 1.3M

116.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,522 €1,303

$826 COP 3.0M

84.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,094 €937

$716 COP 2.6M

52.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,035 €3,454

$2,925 COP 10.6M

37.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,962 €2,535

$1,407 COP 5.1M

110.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 €809

$546 COP 2.0M

73.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

13.43

-59.57%

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

Last update for Barreiro: April 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $977 in Barreiro versus $487 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 73% higher in Barreiro, 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 $46.00 in Barreiro versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $190 – making Medellin 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

Barreiro vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,714 in Barreiro, $1,034 in Medellin – roughly 66% apart. Barreiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,571 per month in Barreiro and $1,550 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,714 in Barreiro and $1,034 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 12% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Barreiro at $1,714. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barreiro it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Barreiro has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,034 in Medellin to $1,714 in Barreiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barreiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.