Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bayan and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Bayan versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,315 in Bayan versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,262 in Bayan versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan is roughly 33% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayan is 2% above, Medellin is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$6.16 COP 20.1K

63.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.3 KWD 25.31

$32.60 COP 106.1K

152.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$7.34 COP 23.9K

19.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$6.04 KWD 1.86

$1.72 COP 5,600

251.16%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$1.05 COP 3,420

-39.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$0.77 COP 2,515

-54.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.05 COP 3,423

49.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.30 COP 4,236

-4.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 KWD 0.53

$1.40 COP 4,544

22.14%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.16 COP 7,047

-3.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.23 KWD 1.61

$4.39 COP 14.3K

19.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.52 KWD 2.01

$5.88 COP 19.1K

10.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.43 KWD 3.21

$8.64 COP 28.1K

20.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$2.28 COP 7,426

2.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.11 COP 3,604

69.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 KWD 0.56

$1.53 COP 4,983

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.35 COP 4,410

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.13 COP 3,674

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.13 COP 3,692

11.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

$0.85 COP 2,753

89.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.91 COP 2,975

-49.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.89

$2.34 COP 7,630

23.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$0.84 COP 2,728

-2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.06 KWD 13.55

$40.57 COP 132.1K

8.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

$1.42 COP 4,623

127.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$1.92 COP 6,235

64.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.37 KWD 5.03

$7.66 COP 24.9K

113.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.99 COP 3,223

-65.66%

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

$21.0K KWD 6,464

$18.0K COP 58.7M

16.62%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,071

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-25.83%

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

$62.1 KWD 19.07

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-23.21%

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

$18.74 KWD 5.76

$9.95 COP 32.4K

88.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.65 KWD 7.88

$24.18 COP 78.7K

6.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.6 KWD 28.45

$25.08 COP 81.7K

269.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.70 KWD 14.36

$19.15 COP 62.3K

143.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.26 KWD 3.46

$3.98 COP 13.0K

182.91%

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

$353 KWD 109

$305 COP 993.5K

15.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,542 KWD 2,011

$6,059 COP 19.7M

7.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.50 KWD 12.76

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-28.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.82 KWD 13.16

$32.20 COP 104.8K

32.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.42

$101 COP 327.9K

-11.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 KWD 25.50

$108 COP 350.8K

-23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$796 KWD 245

$477 COP 1.6M

66.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$607 KWD 187

$376 COP 1.2M

61.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 KWD 485

$845 COP 2.7M

86.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,288 KWD 396

$730 COP 2.4M

76.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

13.43

-46.84%

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

Last update for Bayan: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $796 in Bayan and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $82.0 in Bayan vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $179 vs $193, with Bayan 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

Bayan vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Bayan and $1,546 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $796 in Bayan versus $477 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 $33.00 versus $82.0 in Bayan. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Bayan versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,368 in Bayan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bayan. 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 Bayan, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bayan 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 33% less than in Bayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.