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: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,838 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $4,128 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $6,418 in Barbados.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 9% less than in Barbados, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 23% above, Barbados 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$24.97 BBD 49.93

-67.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$110 BBD 221

-56.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$12.74 BBD 25.49

-22.37%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$4.64 BBD 9.28

-32.54%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$2.21 BBD 4.43

-13.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$1.73 BBD 3.45

-12.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$2.98 BBD 5.95

4.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$4.05 BBD 8.10

41.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$3.50 BBD 7.01

-58.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$2.69 BBD 5.37

-7.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$4.06 BBD 8.13

-56.40%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$5.88 BBD 11.76

-49.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$6.72 BBD 13.43

49.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$10.36 BBD 20.71

-2.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$11.28 BBD 22.55

26.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$4.97 BBD 9.95

-16.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$4.25 BBD 8.49

-62.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$5.45 BBD 10.90

-58.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

$5.72 BBD 11.44

-60.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

$6.95 BBD 13.90

-70.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$4.95 BBD 9.90

-68.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

$2.77 BBD 5.53

-57.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$2.73 BBD 5.47

-52.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$7.07 BBD 14.13

-44.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$16.15 BBD 32.30

-13.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.72 BBD 3.45

1.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$1.72 BBD 3.43

-29.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

$5.08 BBD 10.16

-74.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

$3.32 BBD 6.65

-34.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.97 BBD 3.95

-30.46%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$49.7K BBD 99.3K

-43.95%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$39.2K BBD 78.5K

-8.81%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$99.9 BBD 200

77.55%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$49.77 BBD 99.5

-72.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$86.4 BBD 173

-65.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$73.6 BBD 147

-39.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$8.99 BBD 17.97

-26.03%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$47.14 BBD 94.3

89.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$19.93 BBD 39.86

195.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$60.0 BBD 120

130.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$661 BBD 1,321

60.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$656 BBD 1,312

1.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$1,831 BBD 3,662

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$3,383 BBD 6,766

-69.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$1,350 BBD 2,700

-49.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Barbados: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $661 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 99% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $110 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $430 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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $1,838 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in Barbados. 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $661 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $48.00 versus $110 in Barbados. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,681 per month in Medellin versus $1,838 in Barbados – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,838 in Barbados, a $2,500 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 9% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.