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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $851 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,313 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,775 in Ba'labakk, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Ba'labakk, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Ba'labakk are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Ba'labakk 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$10.73 LBP 960.2K

-44.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$50.4 LBP 4.5M

-34.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.91 LBP 707.7K

-6.07%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.05 LBP 183.9K

-19.51%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.98 LBP 88.0K

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.92 LBP 82.8K

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$3.59 LBP 321.5K

-52.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$5.05 LBP 451.9K

-37.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.71 LBP 152.9K

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.29 LBP 26.2K

334.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.81 LBP 161.8K

-23.76%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.05 LBP 94.0K

107.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

-60.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$9.68 LBP 866.4K

-40.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.48 LBP 1.0M

-21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

134.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.22 LBP 109.4K

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.15 LBP 102.8K

32.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.37 LBP 32.7K

267.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.31 LBP 28.0K

264.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.19 LBP 16.7K

515.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.48 LBP 43.1K

87.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

63.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.57 LBP 230.4K

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$10.07 LBP 901.4K

20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.25 LBP 111.5K

-4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.12 LBP 189.6K

16.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$4.97 LBP 444.9K

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$1.22 LBP 109.5K

59.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$20.22 LBP 1.8M

-60.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.90 LBP 80.9K

10.00%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$35.5K LBP 3.2B

-50.40%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

-4.69%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$219 LBP 19.6M

-62.07%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$38.23 LBP 3.4M

-74.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$37.13 LBP 3.3M

-36.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$8.04 LBP 719.7K

-50.87%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$299 LBP 26.8M

5.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,441 LBP 397.5M

34.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$70.3 LBP 6.3M

-14.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.33 LBP 4.1M

-29.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$125 LBP 11.2M

-18.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$94.8 LBP 8.5M

13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.16

20.34%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ba'labakk: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $50.0 in Ba'labakk. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $208 – 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

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,276 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $50.0 in Ba'labakk. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ba'labakk, where all-in costs run around $851, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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.