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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,027 in Ballito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,492 in Ballito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,957 in Ballito.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 1% less than in Ballito, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Ballito 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.52 R 122

-20.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.90 R 451

19.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.91 R 79.4

47.25%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.00 R 32.29

-18.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.90 R 14.52

21.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.71 R 11.40

2.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.01 R 32.54

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.20 R 35.62

46.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.99 R 16.03

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.78 R 12.69

65.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.48 R 23.90

-10.81%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.97 R 31.88

15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.88 R 95.0

-26.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.36 R 70.5

34.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.31 R 102

36.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.38 R 22.32

63.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.36 R 21.99

-21.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.31 R 21.25

16.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.01 R 16.40

40.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.78 R 12.65

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.23 R 19.87

-4.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.02 R 16.55

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.89 R 14.31

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.11 R 50.2

-27.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.89 R 79.1

125.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.38 R 22.31

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.69 R 27.34

40.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.60 R 25.91

-47.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$25.03 R 405

67.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.72 R 27.74

-18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.56 R 9.07

239.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$6.82 R 110

13.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.22 R 19.75

-17.21%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.3K R 328.9K

-13.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$22.3K R 361.1K

18.62%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$105 R 1,703

-20.57%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$21.13 R 342

-55.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$27.88 R 451

-13.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$31.45 R 508

-19.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$11.17 R 181

71.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.44 R 87.9

-24.63%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$139 R 2,254

123.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,513 R 40.6K

138.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$42.82 R 692

35.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$29.60 R 479

10.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$55.3 R 893

80.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$73.6 R 1,190

47.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$358 R 5,790

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$449 R 7,258

-15.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$688 R 11.1K

21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$679 R 11.0K

6.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$1,501 R 24.3K

-63.97%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ballito: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $358 in Ballito. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ballito pays 178% 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 $190 vs $155 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 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Ballito earns 178% less. 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: $482 in Medellin versus $358 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 $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $1,027 in Ballito – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $1,027 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 1% less than in Ballito. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.