Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balneario Camboriu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balneario Camboriu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Balneario Camboriu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,342 in Balneario Camboriu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,853 in Balneario Camboriu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Balneario Camboriu, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Balneario Camboriu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Balneario Camboriu 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.35 R$27.35

15.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.60 R$167

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.34 R$32.43

15.77%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.06 R$10.53

-16.50%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.12 R$5.73

-6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.69 R$3.50

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.59 R$8.11

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.22 R$11.34

42.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.95 R$4.84

10.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.42 R$7.27

-8.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 R$5.46

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.90 R$9.71

13.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.78 R$39.76

-43.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.78 R$19.32

55.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.73 R$34.40

28.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.79 R$9.14

27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.88 R$4.50

26.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.75 R$3.84

104.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.26 R$6.42

7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.81 R$4.16

39.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.57 R$2.90

98.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.60 R$3.07

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.66 R$3.37

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.14 R$10.95

9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.59 R$38.77

62.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.93 R$4.73

29.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.72 R$8.78

44.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.87 R$4.45

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.76 R$55.0

277.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.15 R$5.89

23.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.69 R$3.54

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.23 R$31.84

22.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.08 R$5.51

-8.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.5K R$94.5K

-2.54%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.8K R$137.0K

-0.70%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$73.1 R$373

10.59%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.72 R$59.9

-15.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.89 R$102

21.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$33.11 R$169

-24.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.68 R$75.1

30.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.15 R$31.45

-35.28%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$250 R$1,277

22.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,691 R$24.0K

29.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$54.5 R$279

6.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.75 R$229

-28.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.9 R$429

20.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$67.9 R$347

58.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$435 R$2,221

9.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$285 R$1,454

32.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$1,011 R$5,165

-16.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$593 R$3,028

23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$3,605 R$18.4K

-10.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,405 R$12.3K

-42.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$479 R$2,448

28.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.84

36.48%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Balneario Camboriu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $435 in Balneario Camboriu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 29% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Balneario Camboriu. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $159 in Balneario Camboriu – so Balneario Camboriu wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Balneario Camboriu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $830 in Balneario Camboriu – roughly 24% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,245 in Balneario Camboriu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $830 in Balneario Camboriu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 277% less in Balneario Camboriu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balneario Camboriu, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Balneario Camboriu 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 $830 in Balneario Camboriu to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Balneario Camboriu. 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.