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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $481 in Ba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $817 in Ba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,152 in Ba.

Living in Medellin is roughly 110% more expensive than Ba, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ba 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.95 FJD 4.29

207.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$29.50 FJD 64.7

11.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.85 FJD 12.84

21.20%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.95 FJD 4.28

-12.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.98 FJD 2.14

12.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.65 FJD 1.42

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.04 FJD 6.66

-44.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.43 FJD 7.52

-10.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.33 FJD 2.93

-18.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.52 FJD 1.15

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.17 FJD 2.57

17.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.47 FJD 7.60

-36.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.37 FJD 20.55

-53.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.15 FJD 15.69

-21.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.41 FJD 16.25

19.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.45 FJD 5.36

-4.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.55 FJD 5.59

-58.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.40 FJD 7.45

-55.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$3.22 FJD 7.06

-57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.46 FJD 3.19

-21.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.23 FJD 2.71

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.22 FJD 2.67

-27.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.76 FJD 1.66

10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$9.96 FJD 21.84

-77.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.20 FJD 4.83

-45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.45 FJD 7.56

-28.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.92 FJD 2.01

59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.84 FJD 19.39

-12.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.37 FJD 3.01

-30.66%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$24.1K FJD 52.8K

-24.70%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$24.9K FJD 54.6K

6.32%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$45.80 FJD 100

79.59%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.27 FJD 29.10

-28.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$24.01 FJD 52.7

0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.55 FJD 9.97

-13.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$228 FJD 501

35.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$14.2K FJD 31.2K

-58.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$26.29 FJD 57.7

123.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$27.70 FJD 60.8

16.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$70.6 FJD 155

45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$62.2 FJD 136

74.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

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

$392 FJD 859

30.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

235.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ba: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 31% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Ba. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $219, with Medellin 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

Medellin vs Ba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Medellin pays 31% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $228 in Ba. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $481 in Ba versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Ba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $481 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ba hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Ba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.