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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $673 in Bacong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,103 in Bacong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,532 in Bacong, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Bacong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Bacong are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Bacong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.67 ₱165

121.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$21.33 ₱1,315

53.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.65 ₱225

97.26%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.04 ₱126

-16.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.57 ₱35.28

92.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.30 ₱18.35

140.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$0.94 ₱58.2

77.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$1.73 ₱107

79.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.84 ₱114

-42.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.20 ₱74.3

4.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.95 ₱58.8

46.32%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.26 ₱139

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$5.75 ₱354

-24.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.25 ₱262

37.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.09 ₱437

24.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$3.77 ₱232

-40.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.19 ₱73.3

-9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.37 ₱208

-54.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.55 ₱95.8

-11.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.56 ₱158

-55.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.14 ₱194

-64.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.68 ₱104

-49.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.90 ₱55.8

1.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.15 ₱194

-26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$6.76 ₱417

64.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.34 ₱82.9

-11.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.45 ₱89.5

63.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.26 ₱15.99

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.72 ₱44.57

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.23 ₱14.10

730.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.58 ₱159

210.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.03 ₱63.5

-8.74%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$23.5K ₱1.4M

-23.65%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$19.2K ₱1.2M

39.27%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$55.9 ₱3,450

50.12%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$30.59 ₱1,887

-68.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$30.34 ₱1,871

-20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$33.30 ₱2,054

-22.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.55 ₱280

318.46%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.28 ₱326

-25.76%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$34.84 ₱2,149

779.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,279 ₱263.9K

38.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.23 ₱2,790

28.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$23.05 ₱1,421

38.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$61.9 ₱3,818

61.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$26.94 ₱1,662

297.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$167 ₱10.3K

190.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$174 ₱10.7K

111.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$579 ₱35.7K

42.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$395 ₱24.3K

81.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,215 ₱136.6K

32.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Bacong: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $167 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 $21.00 in Bacong. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $205 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 54%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,010 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $673 in Bacong. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $34.84 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 $673, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.