Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barbados Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barbados

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,951 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $3,145 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $4,338 in Barbados.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 47% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Barbados is 46% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$20.29 BBD 40.58

-70.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$112 BBD 224

-70.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$10.42 BBD 20.83

-30.90%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$4.51 BBD 9.02

-62.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$2.04 BBD 4.08

-46.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$1.42 BBD 2.85

-49.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$3.08 BBD 6.15

-45.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.94 BBD 7.89

-21.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$3.66 BBD 7.32

-71.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.67 BBD 5.34

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$4.58 BBD 9.15

-69.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$6.08 BBD 12.17

-62.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.85 BBD 13.69

-36.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$13.09 BBD 26.17

-55.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.32 BBD 20.64

-14.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$4.74 BBD 9.48

-52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$3.04 BBD 6.08

-64.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$5.42 BBD 10.85

-71.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$5.36 BBD 10.72

-74.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$5.46 BBD 10.93

-79.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$4.87 BBD 9.74

-77.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$2.86 BBD 5.72

-70.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$3.06 BBD 6.13

-70.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$7.43 BBD 14.87

-68.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$16.05 BBD 32.10

-30.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.73 BBD 3.46

-31.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.84 BBD 5.68

-16.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.74 BBD 3.47

-54.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$6.37 BBD 12.74

-77.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$3.35 BBD 6.71

-42.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$22.18 BBD 44.37

-63.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$2.02 BBD 4.04

-53.47%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$50.5K BBD 101.0K

-64.52%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$39.3K BBD 78.5K

-31.77%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$195 BBD 390

-56.89%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$48.60 BBD 97.2

-80.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$85.7 BBD 171

-71.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$72.5 BBD 145

-64.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$10.05 BBD 20.11

-61.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$264 BBD 529

15.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$54.9 BBD 110

5.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$28.75 BBD 57.5

10.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$86.9 BBD 174

14.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$56.0 BBD 112

91.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$654 BBD 1,308

-25.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$661 BBD 1,322

-44.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$2,108 BBD 4,216

-60.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$1,395 BBD 2,790

-48.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$1,051 BBD 2,101

-48.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.4

81.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Barbados: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $654 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 93% 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 $112 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $434 per month, with Medellin 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 Barbados: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Barbados differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,034 vs $1,951 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Barbados earns 93% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $654 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 129% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,034 per month in Medellin versus $1,951 in Barbados – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,034 in Medellin versus $1,951 in Barbados, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barbados. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Barbados are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.