Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Barrigada and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,014 in Barrigada versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,817 in Barrigada versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,620 in Barrigada versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 192% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 126% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$32.60 COP 106.0K

201.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$3.66 $3.66

$1.72 COP 5,592

112.79%

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

$1.87 $1.87

$1.05 COP 3,416

78.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.69 COP 5,480

63.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 $3.69

$3.17 COP 10.3K

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.05 COP 3,418

221.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

Eggs

$4.79 $4.79

$2.16 COP 7,037

121.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.15 $7.15

$2.34 COP 7,619

205.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.99 COP 3,219

49.49%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

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

$415 $415

$80.8 COP 262.7K

413.95%

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

$101 $101

$9.95 COP 32.3K

910.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.4 $79.4

$24.18 COP 78.6K

228.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$718 $718

$305 COP 992.2K

135.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$477 COP 1.5M

422.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$376 COP 1.2M

497.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,365 $3,365

$845 COP 2.7M

298.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,165 $3,165

$730 COP 2.4M

333.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,819 $4,819

$617 COP 2.0M

681.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Barrigada: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,490 in Barrigada and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 681% 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: $98.0 in Barrigada vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $53.0 vs $193, with Barrigada 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

Barrigada vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 681% higher in Barrigada, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,490 in Barrigada versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 264% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $3,014 per month in Barrigada versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,014 in Barrigada, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Barrigada and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.