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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $986 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,259 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,532 in Balti, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Balti, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Balti are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Balti 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$8.29 MDL 144

-25.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$36.13 MDL 629

-9.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.67 MDL 133

-4.30%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.61 MDL 28.01

6.83%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.99 MDL 17.30

6.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.69 MDL 12.01

11.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.73 MDL 30.13

-2.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.19 MDL 38.05

44.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.23 MDL 21.34

-14.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.39 MDL 6.85

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.51 MDL 26.22

-7.28%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.60 MDL 27.82

35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.22 MDL 161

-52.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.49 MDL 78.2

30.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.60 MDL 150

0.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$0.89 MDL 15.44

156.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.80 MDL 31.39

-38.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.54 MDL 26.86

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.07 MDL 36.08

-34.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.69 MDL 11.97

63.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.56 MDL 9.68

101.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.34 MDL 23.37

-36.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.85 MDL 14.78

7.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.29 MDL 57.4

-28.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.43 MDL 77.2

179.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.22 MDL 21.32

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.97 MDL 34.30

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.36 MDL 6.35

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.03 MDL 35.38

-30.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.25 MDL 4.31

668.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.12 MDL 89.1

49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.38 MDL 23.97

-28.26%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$32.2K MDL 559.9K

-43.93%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$31.1K MDL 541.6K

-14.39%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$175 MDL 3,054

-53.93%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$4.75 MDL 82.7

109.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.62 MDL 185

127.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$40.57 MDL 706

-38.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.65 MDL 80.9

-14.41%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$116 MDL 2,013

163.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,455 MDL 95.0K

11.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$64.8 MDL 1,129

-10.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.6 MDL 933

-39.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$114 MDL 1,991

-11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$124 MDL 2,159

-13.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$402 MDL 6,994

18.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$293 MDL 5,102

28.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,406 MDL 24.5K

128.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$997 MDL 17.4K

37.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$633 MDL 11.0K

-2.57%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Balti: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $402 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 3% higher in Balti, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Balti. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $174 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: $1,031 in Medellin, $986 in Balti – roughly 5% 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 $1,479 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 $36.00 in Balti. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $986, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $986 in Balti to $1,031 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.