Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bakuriani Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bakuriani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $675 in Bakuriani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,116 in Bakuriani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,556 in Bakuriani, rent included.

Medellin costs about 149% more than Bakuriani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Bakuriani is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$10.54 ₾27.41

-23.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$31.96 ₾83.1

49.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$9.47 ₾24.61

4.44%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$3.45 ₾8.97

-9.28%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$1.04 ₾2.70

83.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.60 ₾1.56

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$1.71 ₾4.44

82.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.29 ₾5.95

151.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$2.04 ₾5.30

-29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$0.71 ₾1.84

250.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$1.60 ₾4.15

10.62%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$2.61 ₾6.79

13.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$9.57 ₾24.88

5.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$6.32 ₾16.42

60.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$9.72 ₾25.26

47.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$1.40 ₾3.63

195.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$2.05 ₾5.32

-21.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.29 ₾3.35

74.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$2.15 ₾5.59

4.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$0.90 ₾2.33

126.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$0.58 ₾1.52

165.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$1.53 ₾3.98

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.77 ₾2.00

70.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$3.07 ₾7.97

27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$5.71 ₾14.85

145.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.48 ₾3.85

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$2.05 ₾5.33

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$1.13 ₾2.94

15.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$0.68 ₾1.77

222.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$11.87 ₾30.86

-26.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.39 ₾3.61

-1.44%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$15.8K ₾41.0K

76.32%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$20.6K ₾53.5K

73.86%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$77.7 ₾202

128.27%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$9.05 ₾23.52

53.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$15.92 ₾41.39

86.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$6.94 ₾18.04

-4.18%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$295 ₾766

175.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$3,373 ₾8,767

172.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$92.1 ₾239

-2.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$39.09 ₾102

50.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$131 ₾341

5.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$114 ₾296

-10.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

12.55

-12.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bakuriani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $32.00 in Bakuriani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $211 – making Bakuriani the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bakuriani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 149% more than Bakuriani, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,013 in Bakuriani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $675 in Bakuriani. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $295 in Bakuriani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bakuriani, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Bakuriani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bakuriani costs $675 versus $1,681 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bakuriani. 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.