Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balti Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Balti

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $983 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,240 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,497 in Balti, rent included.

Medellin costs about 3% more than Balti, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Balti 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$8.08 MDL 139

-25.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$37.20 MDL 639

-11.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.78 MDL 134

-8.87%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.64 MDL 28.15

4.27%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.91 MDL 15.65

20.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.66 MDL 11.31

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.77 MDL 30.36

-5.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.28 MDL 39.11

34.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.29 MDL 22.15

-15.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.42 MDL 7.29

200.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.44 MDL 24.68

-4.17%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.59 MDL 27.36

37.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.25 MDL 159

-52.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.57 MDL 78.6

23.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.95 MDL 154

-0.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$0.89 MDL 15.32

162.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.76 MDL 30.21

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.47 MDL 25.26

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.06 MDL 35.37

-33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.70 MDL 12.09

64.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.60 MDL 10.26

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.37 MDL 23.51

-35.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.88 MDL 15.14

-4.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.20 MDL 55.0

-28.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.69 MDL 80.6

126.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.21 MDL 20.72

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.96 MDL 33.74

26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.34 MDL 5.78

152.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.09 MDL 35.95

-29.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.25 MDL 4.30

684.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.19 MDL 89.3

49.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.32 MDL 22.75

-28.03%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$31.9K MDL 547.7K

-43.10%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$31.1K MDL 533.8K

-14.71%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$171 MDL 2,932

-51.78%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.77 MDL 81.9

99.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$10.57 MDL 182

129.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$41.41 MDL 712

-37.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.62 MDL 79.5

-14.94%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$119 MDL 2,041

160.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,566 MDL 95.7K

7.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$65.1 MDL 1,119

-9.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$53.7 MDL 924

-39.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$112 MDL 1,926

-8.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$125 MDL 2,148

-13.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$406 MDL 6,980

17.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$294 MDL 5,049

28.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,471 MDL 25.3K

89.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,017 MDL 17.5K

19.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$431 MDL 7,415

18.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.24

45.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Balti: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $406 in Balti. 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 19% 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 $37.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $177 in Balti – so Balti 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 Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $983 in Balti – roughly 3% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,475 in Balti. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $37.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Balti, where all-in costs run around $983, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Balti 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 $983 in Balti to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Balti. 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.