Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Badalona Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Badalona

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,628 in Badalona, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $3,152 in Badalona, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $4,676 in Badalona, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Badalona, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Badalona sit above the global median – Medellin by 19%, Badalona by 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.9K

$17.08 €15.25

-53.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.8K

$56.3 €50.2

-17.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.6K

$11.07 €9.88

-14.81%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,432

$2.46 €2.19

18.29%

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

$1.75 COP 5,678

$2.69 €2.40

-34.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,289

$1.85 €1.66

-28.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$3.45 €3.08

-9.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 18.0K

$4.60 €4.11

20.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,570

$1.14 €1.01

23.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,907

$2.09 €1.87

16.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,278

$1.74 €1.55

-6.32%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,140

$3.80 €3.39

-25.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.4K

$14.75 €13.16

-34.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.2K

$8.96 €8.00

4.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.6K

$15.00 €13.39

-10.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 13.0K

$2.52 €2.25

58.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,797

$1.96 €1.75

-24.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,881

$1.59 €1.42

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,298

$2.41 €2.15

-6.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,193

$1.76 €1.57

8.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,247

$1.86 €1.66

-12.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,719

$1.56 €1.39

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,088

$0.62 €0.56

103.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.4K

$7.12 €6.36

-46.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.5K

$5.72 €5.10

129.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,168

$1.01 €0.90

58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,308

$2.44 €2.18

-7.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,793

$1.66 €1.48

-29.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 243.0K

$44.92 €40.10

67.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,123

$3.02 €2.70

-57.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,640

$1.45 €1.30

41.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.6K

$14.32 €12.78

-42.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,113

$1.82 €1.63

-30.22%

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

$26.8K COP 86.7M

$35.4K €31.6K

-24.44%

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

$34.4K COP 111.5M

$30.6K €27.3K

12.53%

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

$162 COP 525.5K

$115 €102

41.56%

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

$13.12 COP 42.5K

$13.75 €12.28

-4.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 91.0K

$25.42 €22.69

10.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.6K

$69.2 €61.7

-35.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.9K

$14.65 €13.08

11.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.7K

$8.59 €7.66

-29.10%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$572 €510

33.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.8M

$10.2K €9,126

-12.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 275.3K

$64.6 €57.7

31.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 186.2K

$21.43 €19.13

168.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 426.9K

$105 €94.0

25.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 310.2K

$120 €107

-19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$1,379 €1,231

-25.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$688 €614

-12.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$1,370 €1,223

31.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$2,462 €2,198

-59.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$3,597 €3,211

9.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$2,056 €1,836

-20.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$1,905 €1,700

-67.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.3

231.52%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Badalona: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,379 in Badalona. 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 204% higher in Badalona, 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Badalona. Groceries tell a different story – $288 in Medellin vs $275 in Badalona – so Badalona 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 Badalona: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,589 in Medellin, $1,628 in Badalona – roughly 2% apart. Badalona costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,384 per month in Medellin and $2,443 in Badalona. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,589 in Medellin and $1,628 in Badalona. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,589, than in Badalona at $1,628. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Badalona 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 $1,589 in Medellin to $1,628 in Badalona. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Badalona makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.