Cost of Living Comparison Between Baton Rouge, LA and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Baton Rouge, LA and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,390 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,543 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,697 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 42% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Baton Rouge, LA 75% above, Medellin 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.93 $14.93

$8.02 COP 25.3K

86.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$47.87 COP 151.0K

69.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$9.89 COP 31.2K

23.26%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$3.13 COP 9,873

89.14%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$1.91 COP 6,019

14.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.51 COP 4,763

-9.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 $5.43

$3.12 COP 9,853

74.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 $7.63

$5.75 COP 18.1K

32.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.44 COP 4,558

-9.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.49 COP 7,843

15.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.77 COP 5,595

39.55%

Eggs

$3.00 $3.00

$2.96 COP 9,336

1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.20 $13.20

$10.07 COP 31.8K

31.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.47 $14.47

$10.12 COP 31.9K

42.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.62 $23.62

$14.30 COP 45.1K

65.17%

Apples (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$4.14 COP 13.0K

20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.61 COP 5,073

46.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.25 COP 7,083

173.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.25 COP 7,104

91.56%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.04 COP 6,444

76.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.54 COP 4,842

77.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.17 COP 3,691

109.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.31 COP 4,121

122.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$3.90 COP 12.3K

133.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.02 $19.02

$14.01 COP 44.2K

35.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.74 COP 5,498

9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.87 COP 9,053

-28.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.22 COP 3,834

41.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.6 $55.6

$80.5 COP 253.9K

-30.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.31 COP 4,129

206.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$2.19 COP 6,899

-45.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 $59.5

$8.71 COP 27.5K

583.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.37 COP 4,306

-32.85%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

27.43%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-28.47%

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

$137 $137

$177 COP 559.3K

-22.55%

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

$44.18 $44.18

$13.88 COP 43.8K

218.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$29.72 COP 93.8K

136.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 $52.6

$44.88 COP 141.6K

17.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.94 $9.94

$17.12 COP 54.0K

-41.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$6.65 COP 21.0K

78.95%

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

$1,963 $1,963

$813 COP 2.6M

141.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

10.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.88 $32.88

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-63.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.76 $41.76

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-29.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.3 $88.3

$138 COP 435.9K

-36.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 $71.3

$102 COP 322.1K

-30.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$1,062 COP 3.3M

28.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 $1,187

$663 COP 2.1M

79.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,821 $1,821

$1,888 COP 6.0M

-3.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,759 $1,759

$1,027 COP 3.2M

71.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 $1,776

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-57.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,752 $1,752

$1,675 COP 5.3M

4.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,173 $3,173

$678 COP 2.1M

368.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

10.94

-44.52%

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

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,362 in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 368% 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: $81.0 in Baton Rouge, LA vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $444 vs $305 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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

Baton Rouge, LA vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baton Rouge, LA and Medellin differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($2,390 vs $1,681 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 368% higher in Baton Rouge, LA, 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: $1,362 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 45% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,963 in Baton Rouge, LA 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 $2,390 in Baton Rouge, LA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Baton Rouge, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.