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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,898 in Barbados.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $3,102 in Barbados.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $4,306 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 25% below, Barbados is 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$20.10 BBD 40.20

-70.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$112 BBD 223

-70.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$10.20 BBD 20.41

-27.16%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$4.35 BBD 8.69

-62.07%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$2.05 BBD 4.11

-46.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$1.49 BBD 2.97

-47.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$2.94 BBD 5.89

-41.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$3.95 BBD 7.90

-19.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$3.54 BBD 7.08

-68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$2.59 BBD 5.18

-51.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$4.63 BBD 9.26

-70.19%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$5.82 BBD 11.65

-62.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.56 BBD 13.11

-31.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$13.28 BBD 26.57

-56.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$10.42 BBD 20.85

-13.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$4.61 BBD 9.21

-49.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$3.05 BBD 6.11

-65.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$5.25 BBD 10.50

-71.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$5.40 BBD 10.80

-74.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$5.64 BBD 11.28

-79.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$4.88 BBD 9.77

-76.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$2.84 BBD 5.68

-68.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$3.02 BBD 6.03

-70.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$7.41 BBD 14.83

-69.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$16.18 BBD 32.37

-25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.69 BBD 3.39

-29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.88 BBD 5.76

-13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$1.78 BBD 3.56

-52.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$6.40 BBD 12.80

-77.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$3.33 BBD 6.66

-41.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$22.24 BBD 44.48

-64.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$2.00 BBD 4.00

-50.50%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$49.0K BBD 98.1K

-64.10%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$40.1K BBD 80.1K

-33.10%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$192 BBD 384

-56.80%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$48.96 BBD 97.9

-80.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$87.8 BBD 176

-73.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$73.6 BBD 147

-65.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$10.16 BBD 20.32

-61.12%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$263 BBD 526

20.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$55.2 BBD 110

8.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$28.15 BBD 56.3

13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$86.7 BBD 173

17.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$54.9 BBD 110

95.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$657 BBD 1,314

-27.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$660 BBD 1,319

-43.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$2,109 BBD 4,217

-59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$1,409 BBD 2,818

-48.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$1,341 BBD 2,683

-53.44%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Barbados: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $657 in Barbados. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barbados pays 115% 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 $193 vs $431 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 ($1,003 vs $1,898 including rent). Medellin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 115% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $657 in Barbados. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 123% higher in Barbados. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,003 per month in Medellin versus $1,898 in Barbados – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,003 in Medellin versus $1,898 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.