Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Babol Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Babol

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $415 in Babol, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $744 in Babol, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,073 in Babol, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Babol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Babol are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Babol 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.37 $3.37

77.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$18.33 $18.33

79.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.08 $5.08

39.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.01 $1.01

69.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.42 $0.42

161.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.97 $0.97

-19.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.63 $0.63

73.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.23 $0.23

447.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.86 $1.86

-25.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.05 $1.05

108.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$1.84 $1.84

139.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.28 $3.28

71.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.46 $8.46

5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.87 $0.87

168.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.26 $1.26

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.80 $0.80

87.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.58 $0.58

137.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.54 $0.54

112.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.47 $0.47

146.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.34 $0.34

161.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.15 $0.15

460.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.79 $1.79

27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.22 $0.22

290.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$10.19 $10.19

306.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.51 $0.51

188.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.29 $0.29

575.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.95 $2.95

162.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.77 $0.77

23.38%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$79.3K $79.3K

-77.13%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.3K $29.3K

-9.45%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$14.79 $14.79

456.12%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$2.05 $2.05

363.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$3.98 $3.98

508.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$16.07 $16.07

61.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$12.29 $12.29

54.60%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$1.47 $1.47

167.35%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$49.69 $49.69

522.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,943 $1,943

206.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$21.92 $21.92

167.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$34.43 $34.43

-6.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$120 $120

-14.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$68.9 $68.9

57.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$189 $189

151.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$95.7 $95.7

295.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$495 $495

69.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$282 $282

156.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$910 $910

206.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$595 $595

103.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$130 $130

292.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

23.75

-43.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Babol: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $189 in Babol. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 293% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $18.00 in Babol. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $91.0 – making Babol 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 Babol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $415 in Babol – roughly 144% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $622 in Babol. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Babol, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 306% less in Babol. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $49.69 in Babol. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Babol, where all-in costs run around $415, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Babol it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $415 in Babol to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Babol. 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.