Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacong Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bacong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $689 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,518 in Bacong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Bacong 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.73 ₱166

117.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.62 ₱1,313

54.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.64 ₱221

98.63%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.99 ₱121

-18.09%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.54 ₱32.56

101.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.30 ₱18.03

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.00 ₱60.8

74.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.82 ₱111

77.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.86 ₱113

-43.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.21 ₱73.3

6.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.95 ₱57.7

38.95%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.18 ₱133

4.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.94 ₱361

-26.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.23 ₱257

39.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.93 ₱421

24.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.61 ₱219

-37.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.20 ₱72.8

-10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.42 ₱208

-55.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.60 ₱97.1

-11.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.58 ₱157

-54.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$3.15 ₱191

-62.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.61 ₱98.1

-44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.88 ₱53.3

2.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.25 ₱198

-30.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.57 ₱338

98.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.28 ₱77.8

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.44 ₱87.3

65.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.28 ₱17.20

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.68 ₱41.36

107.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.25 ₱15.23

660.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.68 ₱163

189.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.07 ₱65.0

-5.61%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$23.9K ₱1.5M

-26.44%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

34.55%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$56.9 ₱3,452

47.19%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$31.28 ₱1,899

-69.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$30.26 ₱1,837

-20.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$33.63 ₱2,042

-24.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$4.33 ₱263

342.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.20 ₱316

-21.15%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$35.32 ₱2,145

783.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$4,289 ₱260.4K

39.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$46.57 ₱2,828

24.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$23.48 ₱1,426

38.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$63.1 ₱3,831

57.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$26.29 ₱1,596

312.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$165 ₱10.0K

191.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$176 ₱10.7K

116.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$596 ₱36.2K

40.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$389 ₱23.6K

85.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$2,755 ₱167.3K

3.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$955 ₱58.0K

28.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

67.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Bacong: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $165 in Bacong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Bacong. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $201 in Bacong – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,034 in Bacong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $689 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $35.32 in Bacong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacong, where all-in costs run around $689, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Bacong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Bacong. 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.