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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $892 in Baabda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,414 in Baabda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,937 in Baabda.

Living in Medellin is roughly 16% more expensive than in Baabda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Baabda 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.87 LBP 973.0K

-43.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-44.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$8.02 LBP 717.6K

-8.48%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.38 LBP 302.4K

-49.11%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.63 LBP 145.4K

-35.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.93 LBP 83.5K

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$3.54 LBP 316.4K

-52.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.85 LBP 434.2K

-34.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

64.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.83 LBP 163.7K

-23.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.05 LBP 273.0K

-29.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.34 LBP 1.0M

-61.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.68 LBP 866.7K

-39.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.36 LBP 1.0M

-23.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.79 LBP 160.2K

27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.51 LBP 135.5K

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.09 LBP 97.6K

40.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.05 LBP 94.3K

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 LBP 83.8K

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.00 LBP 89.2K

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.88 LBP 78.8K

-3.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.57 LBP 230.4K

-8.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.99 LBP 893.7K

23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.24 LBP 111.0K

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.14 LBP 191.7K

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$5.05 LBP 451.7K

-71.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.22 LBP 109.3K

57.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$19.85 LBP 1.8M

-61.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.96 LBP 85.8K

3.13%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

-48.42%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.1K LBP 2.5B

-5.34%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$219 LBP 19.6M

-63.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$37.26 LBP 3.3M

-73.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.89 LBP 3.3M

-34.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.80 LBP 698.3K

-48.97%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$301 LBP 27.0M

1.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,399 LBP 393.7M

37.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

-19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$45.35 LBP 4.1M

-29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$123 LBP 11.0M

-17.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$96.2 LBP 8.6M

11.97%

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

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 12, 2026

Last update for Baabda: July 14, 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 $193 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 16% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $892 including rent). Baabda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,338 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 $305 in Medellin versus $301 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 $892 in Baabda versus $1,031 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 16% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.