Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ballito Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ballito

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,051 in Ballito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,501 in Ballito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,951 in Ballito.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 5% less than in Ballito, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Ballito 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$7.72 R 127

-23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$28.03 R 461

17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$5.01 R 82.5

48.30%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$2.00 R 32.89

-17.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.89 R 14.61

23.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.72 R 11.85

8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.92 R 31.53

-10.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.22 R 36.59

43.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.98 R 16.17

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.75 R 12.43

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.47 R 24.24

-6.12%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.07 R 34.06

5.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.11 R 101

-26.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$4.42 R 72.8

31.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$6.42 R 106

39.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.42 R 23.44

63.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.42 R 23.38

-25.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.34 R 22.01

13.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$0.95 R 15.65

43.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.78 R 12.92

44.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.17 R 19.30

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 R 16.82

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.95 R 15.59

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.04 R 49.98

-26.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$4.85 R 79.9

149.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.32 R 21.73

-9.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.76 R 28.99

40.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.67 R 27.44

-49.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$25.51 R 420

63.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.66 R 27.25

-14.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.56 R 9.20

248.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.80 R 112

16.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.26 R 20.76

-21.43%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.5K R 337.4K

-14.11%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$22.2K R 365.8K

20.60%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$104 R 1,710

-20.08%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.79 R 342

-53.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.29 R 466

-16.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$30.61 R 504

-17.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$10.98 R 181

73.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.49 R 90.3

-28.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$140 R 2,300

125.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$2,473 R 40.7K

141.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$41.58 R 684

44.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$30.33 R 499

4.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$56.5 R 930

80.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$71.6 R 1,178

50.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$367 R 6,042

29.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$451 R 7,417

-16.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$691 R 11.4K

22.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$700 R 11.5K

2.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,442 R 23.7K

-56.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

12.01

11.82%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ballito: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $367 in Ballito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballito pays 131% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Ballito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $157 per month, with Ballito cheaper across the board.

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 Ballito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 5% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 131% lower in Ballito. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $367 in Ballito. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $28.00 in Ballito. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,051 in Ballito – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,051 in Ballito, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Ballito. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Medellin and Ballito are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ballito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.