Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baabda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Baabda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $898 in Baabda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,402 in Baabda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,906 in Baabda.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than Baabda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Baabda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.67 LBP 954.8K

-43.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$59.2 LBP 5.3M

-44.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.24 LBP 737.3K

-13.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$3.36 LBP 300.6K

-49.11%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

-32.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.52 LBP 315.3K

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$5.01 LBP 448.6K

-38.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.77 LBP 158.6K

-38.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.79 LBP 70.9K

59.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.84 LBP 164.5K

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$3.09 LBP 276.6K

-29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.40 LBP 1.0M

-61.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.36 LBP 837.4K

-39.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$11.64 LBP 1.0M

-23.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

33.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.52 LBP 136.4K

-30.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.15 LBP 103.0K

30.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.04 LBP 93.3K

32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

13.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.01 LBP 90.3K

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

3.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

52.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.56 LBP 229.4K

-10.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$10.08 LBP 902.6K

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.28 LBP 114.8K

-6.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.16 LBP 193.1K

14.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$4.96 LBP 444.3K

-70.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

53.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

-61.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

7.95%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$34.6K LBP 3.1B

-47.67%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

-5.50%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$213 LBP 19.1M

-61.46%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$38.10 LBP 3.4M

-75.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$37.41 LBP 3.3M

-35.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.16 LBP 730.3K

-51.84%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$300 LBP 26.9M

3.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,440 LBP 397.3M

34.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

-17.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$45.06 LBP 4.0M

-28.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$122 LBP 10.9M

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$96.0 LBP 8.6M

12.90%

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 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Baabda: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $59.0 in Baabda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $235 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Baabda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Baabda differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $898 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,519 in Medellin and $1,346 in Baabda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $300 in Baabda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Baabda – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $898 in Baabda versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baabda but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baabda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Baabda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.