Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barisal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barisal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $324 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $491 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $658 in Barisal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 213% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$1.08 ৳133

454.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$5.63 ৳690

483.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.20 ৳637

36.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.21 ৳516

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 ৳568

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$0.69 ৳84.7

147.83%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.16 ৳20.14

587.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.10 ৳11.73

680.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$0.69 ৳84.4

57.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.64 ৳78.2

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.56 ৳68.8

146.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.22 ৳149

79.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.03 ৳739

-27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.56 ৳314

119.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.69 ৳819

32.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.96 ৳240

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.94 ৳116

12.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.74 ৳213

-13.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.53 ৳64.4

160.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.32 ৳39.36

259.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.40 ৳49.47

190.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.36 ৳43.58

147.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.29 ৳35.20

189.66%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.97 ৳854

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳450

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 ৳596

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.36 ৳411

-32.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 ৳36.96

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$10.32 ৳1,265

301.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.69 ৳84.1

113.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.22 ৳27.00

790.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$1.99 ৳244

288.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.85 ৳104

11.76%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$29.0K ৳3.6M

-37.51%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.9K ৳3.4M

-5.01%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$30.62 ৳3,751

168.62%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$5.19 ৳635

83.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$22.33 ৳2,736

8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$9.81 ৳1,202

163.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$8.16 ৳1,000

132.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$3.26 ৳400

20.55%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$17.44 ৳2,137

1674.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,281 ৳156.9K

365.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$16.01 ৳1,962

266.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$16.24 ৳1,990

99.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$28.46 ৳3,487

260.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$28.69 ৳3,515

277.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$81.4 ৳9,973

484.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$63.3 ৳7,754

498.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$135 ৳16.5K

521.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$94.5 ৳11.6K

665.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$353 ৳43.3K

689.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$454 ৳55.6K

167.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$168 ৳20.6K

205.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.08

47.91%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barisal: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $81.4 in Barisal. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 205% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $6.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $103 – making Barisal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Barisal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 213%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $486 in Barisal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Barisal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 301% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $17.44 in Barisal. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Barisal, where all-in costs run around $324, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Barisal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Barisal – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Barisal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.