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: $2,513 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,494 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,475 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Baton Rouge, LA is roughly 144% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baton Rouge, LA is 88% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 $14.91

$6.16 COP 20.0K

142.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.5 $55.5

$32.60 COP 106.0K

70.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$7.34 COP 23.9K

33.92%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$1.72 COP 5,592

245.35%

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

$1.97 $1.97

$1.05 COP 3,416

87.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.77 COP 2,511

61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$1.69 COP 5,480

200.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.49 $6.49

$3.17 COP 10.3K

104.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.05 COP 3,418

30.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.30 COP 4,230

127.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.40 COP 4,538

70.00%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$2.16 COP 7,037

42.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$4.39 COP 14.3K

205.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$5.88 COP 19.1K

90.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$8.64 COP 28.1K

94.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$2.28 COP 7,415

128.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.11 COP 3,599

83.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.53 COP 4,976

234.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$1.35 COP 4,405

186.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.13 COP 3,669

156.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.13 COP 3,687

139.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.85 COP 2,749

156.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.91 COP 2,971

95.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.78 $10.78

$2.34 COP 7,619

360.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.13 $19.13

$12.37 COP 40.2K

54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.20 COP 3,904

51.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.49 COP 8,094

11.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.84 COP 2,724

103.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.0 $55.0

$40.57 COP 131.9K

35.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$1.42 COP 4,617

185.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.92 COP 6,227

-36.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$60.6 $60.6

$7.66 COP 24.9K

690.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$0.99 COP 3,219

-18.18%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$18.0K COP 58.6M

107.02%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.6K COP 86.6M

-5.32%

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

$137 $137

$80.8 COP 262.7K

69.62%

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

$44.32 $44.32

$9.95 COP 32.3K

345.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 $72.1

$24.18 COP 78.6K

198.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 $53.2

$25.08 COP 81.5K

112.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.12 $10.12

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-47.15%

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$3.98 COP 13.0K

203.02%

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

$3,040 $3,040

$305 COP 992.2K

896.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

66.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.55 $36.55

$58.1 COP 189.0K

-37.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.38 $42.38

$32.20 COP 104.7K

31.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 $70.8

$101 COP 327.5K

-29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.2 $78.2

$108 COP 350.3K

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,317 $1,317

$477 COP 1.5M

176.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 $1,384

$376 COP 1.2M

267.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,061 $2,061

$845 COP 2.7M

143.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,874 $1,874

$730 COP 2.4M

156.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,760 $1,760

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-45.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,770 $1,770

$1,372 COP 4.5M

28.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,280 $3,280

$617 COP 2.0M

431.73%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,317 in Baton Rouge, LA and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baton Rouge, LA pays 432% 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: $55.0 in Baton Rouge, LA vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $193 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 144% in total monthly costs ($2,513 vs $1,031 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 432% 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: $1,317 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $477 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 35% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,040 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $2,513 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 144% less than in Baton Rouge, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.