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: $2,835 in Barrigada versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Barrigada versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,391 in Barrigada versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 69% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Barrigada 107% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.3 $98.3

$47.87 COP 148.7K

105.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.90 COP 12.1K

84.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.37 COP 4,241

8.76%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

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

$417 $417

$177 COP 550.8K

135.00%

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

$102 $102

$13.88 COP 43.1K

632.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.8 $80.8

$29.72 COP 92.4K

171.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

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

$731 $731

$813 COP 2.5M

-10.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,450 $2,450

$1,062 COP 3.3M

130.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,220 $2,220

$663 COP 2.1M

234.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,300 $3,300

$1,888 COP 5.9M

74.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,159 $3,159

$1,027 COP 3.2M

207.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,744 $4,744

$678 COP 2.1M

600.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Barrigada: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,450 in Barrigada and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 600% 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 at a mid-range restaurant: $98.0 in Barrigada vs $48.00 in Medellin for two.

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 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 600% 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: $2,450 in Barrigada versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $98.0 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $731 in Barrigada versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $2,835 in Barrigada, a $2,500 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 69% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.