Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ballsh Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ballsh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,211 in Ballsh, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,879 in Ballsh, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,548 in Ballsh, rent included.

Medellin is about 15% cheaper than Ballsh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Ballsh are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Ballsh 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.71 ALL 955

-47.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$58.6 ALL 4,783

-44.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.84 ALL 558

7.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.02 ALL 165

-14.85%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.43 ALL 117

-26.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.90 ALL 73.8

-14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.93 ALL 239

-42.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.03 ALL 329

-21.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.15 ALL 175

-51.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.10 ALL 89.7

18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$2.13 ALL 174

-34.27%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$3.92 ALL 320

-44.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$13.24 ALL 1,080

-66.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.62 ALL 621

-22.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$15.43 ALL 1,258

-44.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.77 ALL 144

28.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.67 ALL 218

-58.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.98 ALL 162

-22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.92 ALL 157

-29.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.31 ALL 107

-13.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.28 ALL 105

-11.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.49 ALL 122

-42.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.75 ALL 61.2

21.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$4.32 ALL 352

-45.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.42 ALL 850

18.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.64 ALL 134

-26.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.07 ALL 168

20.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.49 ALL 39.78

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$18.62 ALL 1,519

117.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$3.58 ALL 292

-60.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$3.08 ALL 252

-37.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.31 ALL 1,412

-55.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$2.09 ALL 170

-52.63%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$39.4K ALL 3.2M

-54.27%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.0K ALL 2.9M

-23.98%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$108 ALL 8,833

-25.39%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$17.62 ALL 1,437

-43.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.27 ALL 1,490

32.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$55.8 ALL 4,550

-55.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$25.12 ALL 2,049

-23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.63 ALL 786

-58.67%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$161 ALL 13.1K

89.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,544 ALL 452.2K

9.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$68.9 ALL 5,618

-15.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$50.0 ALL 4,081

-35.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$108 ALL 8,808

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$131 ALL 10.7K

-17.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$455 ALL 37.1K

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$346 ALL 28.2K

8.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$603 ALL 49.2K

40.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$434 ALL 35.4K

68.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,795 ALL 146.4K

79.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,327 ALL 108.2K

3.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.52

143.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ballsh: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $455 in Ballsh. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in Ballsh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $278 – making Medellin 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 Ballsh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ballsh is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,816 in Ballsh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Ballsh, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in Ballsh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Ballsh at $1,211. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ballsh it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ballsh makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.