😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $383 in Baraut.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $603 in Baraut.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $824 in Baraut.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 166% more expensive than Baraut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin24% lower, Baraut72% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.95COP 20.8K
$2.30₹219
158.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.33COP 116.3K
$10.55₹1,003
215.92%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.23COP 25.2K
$3.68₹350
96.47%
Cappuccino
$1.63COP 5,687
$1.61₹153
1.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.09COP 3,821
$0.37₹35.53
194.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73COP 2,548
$0.17₹16.16
329.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.74COP 6,065
$1.71₹162
1.75%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.23COP 11.3K
$3.03₹288
6.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05COP 3,662
$0.70₹66.5
50.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.29COP 4,515
$0.48₹46.07
168.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32COP 4,617
$0.68₹64.3
94.12%
Eggs
$2.27COP 7,927
$0.88₹83.5
157.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.35COP 15.2K
$5.02₹478
-13.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.88COP 20.5K
$2.96₹282
98.65%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.61COP 30.0K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.25COP 7,844
$2.00₹190
12.50%
Banana(1kg)
$1.07COP 3,733
$0.67₹64.0
59.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.52COP 5,322
$1.00₹94.6
52.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.42COP 4,964
$0.55₹51.9
158.18%
Potato(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,084
$0.35₹33.47
234.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.17COP 4,077
$0.41₹39.40
185.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.89COP 3,096
$0.49₹46.59
81.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90COP 3,146
$0.32₹30.33
181.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25COP 7,837
$3.89₹370
-42.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.04COP 38.5K
$7.67₹729
43.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14COP 3,977
$1.71₹162
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.38COP 8,301
$2.77₹263
-14.08%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$5.08₹483
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.84COP 2,916
$0.30₹28.68
180.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.95COP 146.4K
$8.51₹809
392.95%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.41COP 4,912
$0.85₹80.6
65.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.90COP 6,634
$0.24₹22.80
691.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.75COP 27.0K
$1.42₹135
445.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.01COP 3,509
$1.17₹111
-13.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.6KCOP 61.4M
$14.2K₹1.3M
23.95%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.5KCOP 92.5M
$21.4K₹2.0M
23.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.7COP 292.1K
$39.32₹3,739
112.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.45COP 33.0K
$3.51₹334
169.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.11COP 84.1K
$7.24₹689
233.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.31COP 88.3K
$16.06₹1,527
57.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.14COP 66.8K
$6.99₹665
173.82%
Cinema Ticket
$4.10COP 14.3K
$2.96₹282
38.51%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$312COP 1.1M
$50.5₹4,804
517.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,993COP 20.9M
$1,518₹144.4K
294.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.0COP 202.6K
$24.01₹2,283
141.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.56COP 113.6K
$24.96₹2,373
30.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.6COP 347.7K
$43.76₹4,162
127.65%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 378.8K
$31.31₹2,977
246.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$482COP 1.7M
$125₹11.9K
284.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$379COP 1.3M
$76.9₹7,310
393.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$837COP 2.9M
$272₹25.9K
207.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$723COP 2.5M
$184₹17.5K
293.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,840COP 9.9M
$1,052₹100.0K
169.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,223COP 4.3M
$590₹56.1K
107.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$541COP 1.9M
$155₹14.7K
249.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
8.67
54.90%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026
Last update for Baraut: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $125 in Baraut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 249% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $11.00 in Baraut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $106 per month, with Baraut cheaper across the board.
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 Baraut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Baraut cheaper than Medellin?
Baraut is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Baraut?
Medellin pays 249% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Baraut?
Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $125 in Baraut. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Baraut runs roughly 393% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $50.5 in Baraut. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Baraut?
At $383 in Baraut versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Baraut but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Baraut the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Baraut more family-friendly?
For families, Baraut is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Baraut gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.