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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $490 in Ba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $806 in Ba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,122 in Ba.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Ba 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.96 FJD 4.38

214.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$30.04 FJD 67.2

8.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.88 FJD 13.17

24.83%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.05 FJD 4.58

-16.10%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 FJD 2.29

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.66 FJD 1.48

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.19 FJD 7.14

-47.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.53 FJD 7.90

-10.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.29 FJD 2.89

-18.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.49 FJD 1.10

165.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.21 FJD 2.70

15.70%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.35 FJD 7.50

-35.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.51 FJD 21.29

-53.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.08 FJD 15.85

-16.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.54 FJD 16.88

14.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.53 FJD 5.67

-9.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.52 FJD 5.64

-55.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.38 FJD 7.57

-54.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.29 FJD 7.37

-58.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.54 FJD 3.44

-26.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.18 FJD 2.64

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.21 FJD 2.70

-29.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.82 FJD 1.83

10.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$9.86 FJD 22.07

-76.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$2.12 FJD 4.73

-43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.41 FJD 7.63

-26.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.85 FJD 1.90

67.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.67 FJD 19.41

-11.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.40 FJD 3.13

-29.29%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.4K FJD 54.7K

-26.18%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$25.2K FJD 56.3K

5.81%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$45.95 FJD 103

75.87%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.03 FJD 29.16

-23.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$23.83 FJD 53.3

1.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.34 FJD 9.71

-8.29%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$229 FJD 514

33.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$14.3K FJD 31.9K

-57.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$26.30 FJD 58.9

121.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$27.42 FJD 61.4

17.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$70.0 FJD 157

44.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$61.3 FJD 137

75.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$388 FJD 869

58.90%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ba: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Medellin pays 59% 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 $30.00 in Ba. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 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.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $229 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 $30.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $490 in Ba versus $1,031 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 $490 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.