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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $995 in Balti, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,473 in Balti, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,951 in Balti, rent included.

Medellin costs about 65% more than Balti, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Balti is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$8.92 MDL 153

-9.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$23.46 MDL 403

105.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$11.10 MDL 190

-15.14%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.83 MDL 31.37

60.66%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.13 MDL 19.42

64.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.68 MDL 11.67

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$1.14 MDL 19.49

181.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.47 MDL 25.28

288.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.25 MDL 21.52

15.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$0.51 MDL 8.80

370.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.64 MDL 28.15

3.66%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.32 MDL 39.81

24.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$7.03 MDL 121

43.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$4.91 MDL 84.3

103.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$6.55 MDL 112

116.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.01 MDL 17.33

294.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.29 MDL 39.34

-31.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.96 MDL 33.71

9.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.48 MDL 42.49

-7.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.79 MDL 13.49

153.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.54 MDL 9.22

179.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$0.48 MDL 8.22

150.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.56 MDL 9.62

128.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.33 MDL 57.1

15.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.70 MDL 80.6

198.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.46 MDL 25.12

17.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.05 MDL 35.13

33.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.33 MDL 5.74

278.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$17.12 MDL 294

355.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.88 MDL 49.46

-54.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.25 MDL 4.24

768.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$5.78 MDL 99.1

43.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.54 MDL 26.37

-11.69%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$34.4K MDL 589.9K

-20.08%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$24.8K MDL 425.4K

47.40%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$234 MDL 4,023

-28.04%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$7.97 MDL 137

70.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$11.82 MDL 203

139.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$37.25 MDL 639

22.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$16.09 MDL 276

7.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.70 MDL 132

-13.64%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$115 MDL 1,981

595.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$5,508 MDL 94.5K

66.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$45.71 MDL 784

91.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$35.11 MDL 603

69.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$57.3 MDL 984

142.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$51.6 MDL 886

97.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$411 MDL 7,053

160.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$291 MDL 4,992

124.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$700 MDL 12.0K

174.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$531 MDL 9,114

97.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$1,462 MDL 25.1K

181.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

$1,026 MDL 17.6K

65.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$627 MDL 10.8K

4.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

36.75%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Balti: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $411 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 5% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Balti. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $171 – making Balti 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 Balti: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,641 in Medellin, $995 in Balti – roughly 65% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,493 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.

Kindergarten costs $803 per month in Medellin and $115 in Balti. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $995, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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 $995 in Balti to $1,641 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.