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: $1,335 in Bayan versus $1,681 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Bayan versus $2,445 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,217 in Bayan versus $3,210 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan costs roughly 21% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.46 KWD 3.53

$8.02 COP 24.9K

42.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 KWD 20.33

$47.87 COP 148.7K

37.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.82

$9.89 COP 30.7K

-7.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 KWD 1.48

Cappuccino

$5.07 KWD 1.56

$3.13 COP 9,724

61.98%

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

$0.70 KWD 0.21

$1.91 COP 5,928

-63.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$1.51 COP 4,692

-79.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

$1.44 COP 4,489

9.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 KWD 0.45

$2.49 COP 7,725

-40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$1.77 COP 5,510

6.78%

Eggs

$2.07 KWD 0.64

$2.96 COP 9,195

-30.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.43 KWD 1.36

$10.07 COP 31.3K

-56.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.72 KWD 2.07

$10.12 COP 31.4K

-33.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.27 KWD 3.16

$14.30 COP 44.4K

-28.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

$4.14 COP 12.8K

-39.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.61 COP 4,997

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$2.25 COP 6,976

-16.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$2.25 COP 6,997

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$2.04 COP 6,347

-35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 KWD 0.44

$1.54 COP 4,769

-7.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

$1.17 COP 3,635

105.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$1.31 COP 4,059

-54.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.83 KWD 0.87

$3.90 COP 12.1K

-27.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$1.22 COP 3,776

-32.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 KWD 1.52

$1.31 COP 4,066

275.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

$2.19 COP 6,796

43.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.98 KWD 4.92

$8.71 COP 27.1K

83.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 KWD 0.11

$1.37 COP 4,241

-74.45%

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

$21.3K KWD 6,551

$27.8K COP 86.5M

-23.61%

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

$20.6K KWD 6,353

$35.8K COP 111.1M

-42.36%

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

$65.9 KWD 20.30

$177 COP 550.8K

-62.84%

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

$22.75 KWD 7.01

$13.88 COP 43.1K

63.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.61 KWD 9.12

$29.72 COP 92.4K

-0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.1 KWD 30.22

$44.88 COP 139.4K

118.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$11.17 KWD 3.44

$6.65 COP 20.6K

67.97%

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

$299 KWD 92.2

$813 COP 2.5M

-63.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,287 KWD 2,861

$9,187 COP 28.5M

1.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.02 KWD 11.71

$89.5 COP 278.0K

-57.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 KWD 12.34

$59.0 COP 183.2K

-32.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.1 KWD 29.91

$138 COP 429.4K

-29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 KWD 27.80

$102 COP 317.3K

-11.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 KWD 225

$1,062 COP 3.3M

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$579 KWD 178

$663 COP 2.1M

-12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 KWD 555

$1,888 COP 5.9M

-4.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,345 KWD 415

$1,027 COP 3.2M

30.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

10.94

-40.31%

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

Last update for Bayan: September 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Bayan and $1,062 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $66.0 in Bayan vs $48.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $187 vs $305, 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

Bayan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,003 in Bayan and $2,521 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: $730 in Bayan versus $1,062 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Bayan versus $813 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayan – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,335 in Bayan versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bayan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bayan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Bayan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.