Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bakau

For one person, living is cheaper in Bakau: $323 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Bakau

🇬🇲 Gambia

$323

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bakau

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Bakau actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $323 in Bakau, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Bakau $323

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $725 in Bakau, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Bakau $725

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,127 in Bakau, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Bakau $1,127

Medellin costs about 407% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Bakau is 76% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

$5.36 GMD 397

50.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$75.9 GMD 5,620

-37.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

$7.81 GMD 578

21.64%

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

$3.97 GMD 294

-24.18%

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

$2.25 GMD 166

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

$1.13 GMD 83.4

24.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$3.76 GMD 279

-15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

$3.67 GMD 272

56.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

$2.39 GMD 177

-36.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

$5.14 GMD 381

-43.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

$16.56 GMD 1,227

-40.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

$13.45 GMD 997

1.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

$2.01 GMD 149

-17.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

$2.78 GMD 206

-18.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

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

$170 COP 547.8K

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

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

$797 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$68.4 GMD 5,068

1379.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bakau: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Bakau

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Bakau

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Bakau

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Bakau

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Bakau

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Bakau

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Bakau

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $76 in Bakau. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $170 in Bakau – so Bakau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇬🇲 Bakau

🕒 Local time

23:17 11:17 PM

04:17 4:17 AM

5 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

43,098

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.74 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Bakau 6,490 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Bakau

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bakau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 407% more than Bakau, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $485 in Bakau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $323 in Bakau. That makes Bakau about 80% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Bakau, where all-in costs run around $323, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Bakau 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 $323 in Bakau to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.