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: $1,396 in Bayan versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,365 in Bayan versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,334 in Bayan versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Bayan is roughly 38% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bayan is 4% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 KWD 3.03

$5.99 COP 21.4K

64.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 KWD 25.21

$32.86 COP 117.4K

150.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 KWD 2.72

$7.09 COP 25.3K

25.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$5.82 KWD 1.79

$1.71 COP 6,115

240.35%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$1.10 COP 3,924

-41.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.78 COP 2,781

-52.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$1.09 COP 3,906

48.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.26 COP 4,508

-2.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.38 COP 4,922

28.99%

Eggs

$2.02 KWD 0.62

$2.19 COP 7,827

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.35 KWD 1.64

$4.40 COP 15.7K

21.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 KWD 1.98

$5.63 COP 20.1K

14.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.31 KWD 3.16

$8.89 COP 31.8K

15.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 KWD 0.72

$2.34 COP 8,349

-0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$1.06 COP 3,777

86.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$1.50 COP 5,374

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 KWD 0.46

$1.38 COP 4,924

7.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.21 KWD 0.37

$1.15 COP 4,111

5.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 KWD 0.40

$1.16 COP 4,155

12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$0.89 COP 3,182

87.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$0.84 COP 2,997

-45.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 KWD 0.89

$2.28 COP 8,145

27.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 KWD 0.25

$0.86 COP 3,056

-3.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.82 KWD 13.44

$41.40 COP 147.9K

5.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$1.47 COP 5,264

124.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

$1.96 COP 7,009

67.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.51 KWD 5.06

$7.74 COP 27.6K

113.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.95 COP 3,409

-65.26%

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

$21.0K KWD 6,449

$18.1K COP 64.7M

15.97%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,103

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-24.87%

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

$62.9 KWD 19.30

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-23.48%

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

$18.63 KWD 5.71

$9.50 COP 33.9K

96.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.31 KWD 8.07

$24.23 COP 86.5K

8.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.2 KWD 28.28

$25.89 COP 92.4K

256.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.21 KWD 14.48

$19.00 COP 67.9K

148.47%

Cinema Ticket

$11.37 KWD 3.49

$3.93 COP 14.0K

189.31%

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

$365 KWD 112

$309 COP 1.1M

18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,698 KWD 2,054

$5,965 COP 21.3M

12.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.14 KWD 12.92

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-28.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.92 KWD 13.16

$32.35 COP 115.5K

32.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 26.72

$103 COP 366.4K

-15.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.3 KWD 24.94

$108 COP 387.2K

-25.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 KWD 245

$476 COP 1.7M

67.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 KWD 188

$379 COP 1.4M

62.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 KWD 491

$838 COP 3.0M

90.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 KWD 392

$724 COP 2.6M

76.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $798 in Bayan and $476 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 $188, 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,093 in Bayan and $1,519 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: $798 in Bayan versus $476 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 $1,396 per month in Bayan versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,396 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 38% less than in Bayan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.