Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air, MD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bel Air, MD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,574 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $1,681 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,853 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $2,445 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,131 per month in Bel Air, MD vs $3,210 in Medellin, rent included.

Bel Air, MD costs about 53% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bel Air, MD and Medellin sit above the global median – Bel Air, MD by 88%, Medellin by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.86 $15.86

$8.02 COP 25.3K

97.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 $68.1

$47.87 COP 151.0K

42.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$9.89 COP 31.2K

2.83%

Cappuccino

$5.10 $5.10

$3.13 COP 9,873

62.94%

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

$1.77 $1.77

$1.91 COP 6,019

-7.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.51 COP 4,763

18.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.46 $6.46

$3.12 COP 9,853

107.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.75 COP 18.1K

13.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.44 COP 4,558

-28.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.49 COP 7,843

37.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.77 COP 5,595

151.98%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.96 COP 9,336

43.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.23 $12.23

$10.07 COP 31.8K

21.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 $11.33

$10.12 COP 31.9K

11.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 $16.70

$14.30 COP 45.1K

16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$4.14 COP 13.0K

21.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.61 COP 5,073

-0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.25 COP 7,083

96.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.25 COP 7,104

106.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.04 COP 6,444

33.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.54 COP 4,842

87.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.17 COP 3,691

85.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.31 COP 4,121

76.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.99 $9.99

$3.90 COP 12.3K

156.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$14.01 COP 44.2K

6.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.74 COP 5,498

12.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.87 COP 9,053

14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.22 COP 3,834

68.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 $99.2

$80.5 COP 253.9K

23.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.31 COP 4,129

132.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.19 COP 6,899

-21.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.77 $28.77

$8.71 COP 27.5K

230.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.37 COP 4,306

-29.93%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.8K COP 87.8M

29.19%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$35.8K COP 112.8M

-27.40%

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

$196 $196

$177 COP 559.3K

10.78%

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

$56.4 $56.4

$13.88 COP 43.8K

306.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$29.72 COP 93.8K

132.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.44 $46.44

$44.88 COP 141.6K

3.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.69 $37.69

$17.12 COP 54.0K

120.15%

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 $13.94

$6.65 COP 21.0K

109.62%

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

$1,431 $1,431

$813 COP 2.6M

76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K $22.0K

$9,187 COP 29.0M

139.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.5 $50.5

$89.5 COP 282.3K

-43.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.44 $45.44

$59.0 COP 186.0K

-22.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 $78.9

$138 COP 435.9K

-42.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 $99.9

$102 COP 322.1K

-2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,828 $1,828

$1,062 COP 3.3M

72.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 $1,178

$663 COP 2.1M

77.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,212 $2,212

$1,888 COP 6.0M

17.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,003 $2,003

$1,027 COP 3.2M

95.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 $2,891

$4,183 COP 13.2M

-30.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,675 COP 5.3M

47.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,081 $5,081

$678 COP 2.1M

649.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

10.94

-44.06%

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

Last update for Bel Air, MD: September 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,828 in Bel Air, MD versus $1,062 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 650% higher in Bel Air, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $68.0 in Bel Air, MD versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $305 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bel Air, MD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,574 in Bel Air, MD, $1,681 in Medellin – roughly 53% apart. Bel Air, MD costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,861 per month in Bel Air, MD and $2,521 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,574 in Bel Air, MD and $1,681 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in Bel Air, MD at $2,574. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bel Air, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,681 in Medellin to $2,574 in Bel Air, MD. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bel Air, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.