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: $2,967 in Barrigada versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,782 in Barrigada versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,597 in Barrigada versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Barrigada is roughly 193% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barrigada is 121% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.0 $99.0

$32.86 COP 117.4K

201.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$3.67 $3.67

$1.71 COP 6,115

114.62%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$1.10 COP 3,924

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.68 COP 5,997

72.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 $3.64

$3.07 COP 11.0K

18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.09 COP 3,906

222.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$4.75 $4.75

$2.19 COP 7,827

116.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.93 $6.93

$2.28 COP 8,145

203.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.95 COP 3,409

64.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$416 $416

$82.3 COP 293.7K

405.76%

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

$98.2 $98.2

$9.50 COP 33.9K

933.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$24.23 COP 86.5K

228.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$717 $717

$309 COP 1.1M

131.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$476 COP 1.7M

412.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$379 COP 1.4M

482.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,336 $3,336

$838 COP 3.0M

297.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,218 $3,218

$724 COP 2.6M

344.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,802 $4,802

$512 COP 1.8M

838.21%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,440 in Barrigada and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 838% 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: $99.0 in Barrigada vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $54.0 vs $188, 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 193% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Barrigada pays 838% more on average, 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: $2,440 in Barrigada versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 249% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,967 per month in Barrigada versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,967 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 193% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.