Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ba'labakk Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ba'labakk

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $999 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,580 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,160 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 68% more than Ba'labakk, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Ba'labakk is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

-33.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$63.0 LBP 5.6M

-24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$10.17 LBP 909.9K

-2.75%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.69 LBP 420.0K

-33.26%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.39 LBP 213.9K

-20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

67.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$4.86 LBP 435.3K

-35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$5.15 LBP 460.6K

11.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.90 LBP 169.6K

-24.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$0.83 LBP 74.3K

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.15 LBP 192.2K

-17.67%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.56 LBP 318.4K

-16.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$13.59 LBP 1.2M

-25.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.76 LBP 963.0K

-5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.11 LBP 1.3M

1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.11 LBP 277.9K

33.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.66 LBP 148.6K

-3.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.63 LBP 145.6K

38.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.52 LBP 135.9K

48.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.41 LBP 126.1K

44.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.69 LBP 151.1K

-8.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.21 LBP 108.6K

-3.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.72 LBP 64.8K

81.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.91 LBP 260.6K

34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$9.95 LBP 890.7K

40.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

37.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.59 LBP 232.1K

10.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$4.95 LBP 443.5K

-73.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.31 LBP 206.9K

-5.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$22.67 LBP 2.0M

-61.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.00 LBP 89.1K

37.00%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$52.7K LBP 4.7B

-47.13%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$32.0K LBP 2.9B

11.81%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$232 LBP 20.8M

-23.60%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$23.39 LBP 2.1M

-40.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$37.81 LBP 3.4M

-21.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$10.02 LBP 896.9K

-33.63%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$672 LBP 60.1M

20.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$10.8K LBP 963.4M

-14.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$67.3 LBP 6.0M

32.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$49.06 LBP 4.4M

20.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$138 LBP 12.4M

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$118 LBP 10.6M

-13.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

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 %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ba'labakk: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Ba'labakk. Groceries tell a different story – $305 in Medellin vs $279 in Ba'labakk – so Ba'labakk wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Medellin vs Ba'labakk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 68%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,499 in Ba'labakk. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $63.0 in Ba'labakk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ba'labakk, where all-in costs run around $999, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Ba'labakk it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ba'labakk – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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