😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $365 in Baraut.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $576 in Baraut.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $788 in Baraut.
🌍Living in Medellin is roughly 362% more expensive than in Baraut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Baraut is 73% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.89COP 24.2K
$2.38₹228
231.51%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.53COP 136.5K
$11.51₹1,102
286.88%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.29COP 28.5K
$3.89₹372
138.82%
Cappuccino
$2.90COP 8,874
$1.38₹132
110.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81COP 5,541
$0.41₹39.70
341.46%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55COP 4,741
$0.14₹13.77
1007.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.25COP 9,962
$1.93₹185
68.39%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88COP 18.0K
$3.47₹332
69.45%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.38COP 4,230
$0.66₹63.2
109.09%
White Bread(500g)
$2.45COP 7,517
$0.45₹42.71
444.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.51COP 4,617
$0.92₹87.7
64.13%
Eggs
$2.78COP 8,516
$0.85₹81.0
227.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.05COP 27.7K
$5.18₹496
74.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.65COP 32.6K
$2.65₹254
301.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.63COP 44.8K
-
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.97COP 12.2K
$1.90₹181
108.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.38COP 4,219
$0.74₹71.2
86.49%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.30COP 7,056
$0.90₹86.4
155.56%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.02COP 6,185
$0.48₹46.16
320.83%
Potato(1kg)
$2.09COP 6,390
$0.33₹31.87
533.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.63COP 4,996
$0.37₹35.67
340.54%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.08COP 3,313
$0.44₹41.95
145.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25COP 3,843
$0.27₹25.63
362.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.03COP 12.4K
$4.55₹435
-11.43%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.47COP 41.3K
$7.02₹672
91.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.60COP 4,904
$1.78₹171
-10.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00COP 9,189
$2.43₹233
23.46%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
-
$4.69₹449
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.18COP 3,611
$0.26₹24.43
353.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$79.9COP 244.9K
$8.31₹795
861.97%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.61COP 4,920
$0.69₹66.0
133.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13COP 6,533
$0.30₹28.47
610.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.52COP 26.1K
$1.72₹164
395.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35COP 4,142
$1.09₹105
23.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.3KCOP 86.8M
$13.4K₹1.3M
111.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.7KCOP 109.4M
$19.1K₹1.8M
86.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151COP 463.8K
$36.64₹3,507
313.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.10COP 40.1K
$3.43₹328
281.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.30COP 99.0K
$6.57₹629
391.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$46.33COP 141.9K
$14.21₹1,360
226.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.26COP 52.9K
$6.04₹578
185.76%
Cinema Ticket
$6.43COP 19.7K
$2.84₹272
126.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$835COP 2.6M
$48.24₹4,616
1630.64%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,887COP 27.2M
$1,216₹116.3K
630.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.3COP 273.7K
$22.68₹2,171
293.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3COP 169.5K
$22.05₹2,110
150.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$137COP 418.5K
$37.06₹3,547
268.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109COP 335.1K
$24.98₹2,391
337.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$952COP 2.9M
$120₹11.5K
695.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$668COP 2.0M
$74.0₹7,081
802.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,020COP 6.2M
$259₹24.8K
679.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,148COP 3.5M
$169₹16.2K
580.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,696COP 11.3M
$1,107₹105.9K
233.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,586COP 4.9M
$553₹52.9K
186.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Baraut
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$625COP 1.9M
$157₹15.1K
297.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
10.43
8.79
18.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026
Last update for Baraut: August 17, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $120 in Baraut. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 298% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $12.00 in Baraut for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $101 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 362% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Baraut?
Average pay runs 298% higher in Medellin, 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: $952 in Medellin versus $120 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 862% 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 $835 in Medellin versus $48.24 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 living in Medellin or in Baraut?
At $365 in Baraut versus $1,687 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 362% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.