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: $2,509 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,455 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,402 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 148% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baton Rouge, LA is 87% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 $15.05

$5.99 COP 21.4K

151.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.3 $54.3

$32.86 COP 117.4K

65.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.09 COP 25.3K

42.88%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$1.71 COP 6,115

246.20%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$1.10 COP 3,924

77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 $1.26

$0.78 COP 2,781

61.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.68 COP 5,997

194.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.07 COP 11.0K

111.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.09 COP 3,906

27.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.26 COP 4,508

136.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.38 COP 4,922

64.49%

Eggs

$3.09 $3.09

$2.19 COP 7,827

41.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 $13.24

$4.40 COP 15.7K

200.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.12 $11.12

$5.63 COP 20.1K

97.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.84 $16.84

$8.89 COP 31.8K

89.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.34 COP 8,349

129.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.06 COP 3,777

97.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$1.50 COP 5,374

254.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.38 COP 4,924

178.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.15 COP 4,111

164.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.16 COP 4,155

139.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.89 COP 3,182

144.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.84 COP 2,997

122.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.79 $10.79

$2.28 COP 8,145

373.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.04 $19.04

$10.64 COP 38.0K

78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.20 COP 4,284

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.47 COP 8,824

12.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.86 COP 3,056

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 $55.0

$41.40 COP 147.9K

32.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.47 COP 5,264

180.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.96 COP 7,009

-35.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$58.9 $58.9

$7.74 COP 27.6K

660.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$0.95 COP 3,409

-21.05%

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

$37.1K $37.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

104.60%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-4.64%

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

$139 $139

$82.3 COP 293.7K

68.47%

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

$44.25 $44.25

$9.50 COP 33.9K

365.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$24.23 COP 86.5K

204.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.7 $51.7

$25.89 COP 92.4K

99.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.81 $9.81

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-48.37%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$3.93 COP 14.0K

201.27%

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

$3,055 $3,055

$309 COP 1.1M

887.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

70.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.47 $36.47

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-37.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.81 $41.81

$32.35 COP 115.5K

29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 $73.4

$103 COP 366.4K

-28.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.0 $77.0

$108 COP 387.2K

-29.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,320 $1,320

$476 COP 1.7M

177.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 $1,401

$379 COP 1.4M

269.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,018 $2,018

$838 COP 3.0M

140.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,852 $1,852

$724 COP 2.6M

155.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,715 $1,715

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-38.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,745 $1,745

$1,211 COP 4.3M

44.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$512 COP 1.8M

545.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

13.43

-50.78%

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

Last update for Baton Rouge, LA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,320 in Baton Rouge, LA and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 545% 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: $54.0 in Baton Rouge, LA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $188 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 148% in total monthly costs ($2,509 vs $1,013 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 545% 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: $1,320 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $476 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 33% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,055 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $309 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $2,509 in Baton Rouge, LA, a $1,500 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 148% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.