Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bago Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bago

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $771 in Bago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,213 in Bago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,655 in Bago.

Living in Medellin is roughly 34% more expensive than in Bago, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bago 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.46 ₱213

78.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.62 ₱1,085

85.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.32 ₱205

121.08%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.36 ₱146

-27.12%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.77 ₱47.46

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.37 ₱22.68

108.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.30 ₱79.9

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.19 ₱135

44.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.89 ₱116

-44.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.25 ₱77.1

4.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 ₱60.6

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.10 ₱129

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.84 ₱483

-44.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.16 ₱256

41.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.86 ₱484

9.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.85 ₱175

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.59 ₱98.0

-30.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$2.59 ₱159

-40.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.61 ₱99.4

-16.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.28 ₱140

-50.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.54 ₱156

-55.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.10 ₱67.9

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 ₱46.18

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.78 ₱171

-15.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.64 ₱470

61.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.16 ₱71.1

3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.99 ₱122

25.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.26 ₱15.85

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.82 ₱50.7

73.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.22 ₱13.45

772.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.08 ₱128

268.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.11 ₱68.2

-10.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$26.1K ₱1.6M

-30.93%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

28.26%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$111 ₱6,837

-27.23%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$32.30 ₱1,989

-69.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.02 ₱1,725

-13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$34.34 ₱2,114

-26.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.53 ₱279

322.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.80 ₱357

-31.38%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$149 ₱9,200

104.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,261 ₱262.3K

42.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.44 ₱2,859

25.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$26.93 ₱1,658

19.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$76.0 ₱4,678

32.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$52.7 ₱3,246

104.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$261 ₱16.1K

82.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$175 ₱10.8K

114.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$599 ₱36.8K

41.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$401 ₱24.7K

82.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,477 ₱152.5K

29.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$834 ₱51.3K

64.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bago: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $261 in Bago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $18.00 in Bago. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $204, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Bago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bago is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,546 in Medellin and $1,156 in Bago 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $477 in Medellin versus $261 in Bago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Medellin versus $149 in Bago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bago – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $771 in Bago versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bago but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bago is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Bago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.