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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,954 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $3,210 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $4,465 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 47% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$20.32 BBD 40.64

-70.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$114 BBD 228

-71.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$10.18 BBD 20.35

-27.11%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$4.39 BBD 8.78

-62.41%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$2.07 BBD 4.13

-48.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$1.47 BBD 2.93

-48.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$3.03 BBD 6.07

-43.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.01 BBD 8.02

-20.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$3.49 BBD 6.99

-69.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.59 BBD 5.19

-49.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$4.55 BBD 9.10

-70.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$5.80 BBD 11.59

-62.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$6.49 BBD 12.97

-32.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$13.17 BBD 26.33

-56.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$10.48 BBD 20.96

-18.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$4.70 BBD 9.40

-50.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$3.21 BBD 6.41

-65.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$5.43 BBD 10.86

-72.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$5.46 BBD 10.92

-74.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$5.57 BBD 11.14

-79.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$4.92 BBD 9.83

-76.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$2.79 BBD 5.58

-69.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$2.91 BBD 5.82

-70.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$7.68 BBD 15.37

-70.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$16.24 BBD 32.49

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.69 BBD 3.38

-28.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.75 BBD 5.50

-9.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$1.70 BBD 3.41

-53.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$6.21 BBD 12.42

-76.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$3.44 BBD 6.89

-44.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$22.24 BBD 44.47

-65.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$2.02 BBD 4.04

-50.00%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$49.3K BBD 98.5K

-64.16%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$40.4K BBD 80.8K

-34.51%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$192 BBD 384

-57.74%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$48.89 BBD 97.8

-80.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$85.7 BBD 171

-72.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$72.1 BBD 144

-63.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$9.90 BBD 19.79

-58.69%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$266 BBD 531

18.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$54.4 BBD 109

9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$28.10 BBD 56.2

13.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$88.8 BBD 178

13.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$55.0 BBD 110

91.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$661 BBD 1,321

-26.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$657 BBD 1,315

-44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$2,129 BBD 4,258

-61.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$1,406 BBD 2,812

-48.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$1,309 BBD 2,618

-57.92%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Barbados: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $661 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 138% 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 $114 in Barbados for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,028 vs $1,954 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 138% 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: $485 in Medellin versus $661 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 126% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,028 per month in Medellin versus $1,954 in Barbados – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,028 in Medellin versus $1,954 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 90% less than in Barbados. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.