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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $320 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $518 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $717 in Barisal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 437% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Barisal is 77% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$1.39 ৳171

477.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

$10.82 ৳1,325

346.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$4.82 ৳590

102.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.72 ৳333

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.77 ৳584

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$1.85 ৳227

57.30%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

$0.27 ৳32.66

618.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

$0.13 ৳15.77

1069.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$0.73 ৳88.9

86.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$0.60 ৳73.2

298.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$0.52 ৳63.2

226.92%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$1.20 ৳147

139.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$6.16 ৳754

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$2.26 ৳277

376.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$6.53 ৳800

125.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$2.32 ৳284

76.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$0.98 ৳120

60.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$2.02 ৳248

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$0.54 ৳66.5

309.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$0.32 ৳39.46

540.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$0.43 ৳52.4

248.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$0.45 ৳54.9

164.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.34 ৳41.65

241.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.73 ৳825

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳451

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 ৳553

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$3.19 ৳391

22.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$0.29 ৳35.97

303.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

$12.13 ৳1,486

540.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$1.31 ৳160

-2.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

$0.39 ৳48.29

435.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$2.90 ৳355

197.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.06 ৳130

22.64%

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$27.3K ৳3.3M

1.24%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$32.8K ৳4.0M

8.29%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$20.10 ৳2,462

775.97%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$5.22 ৳640

156.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$11.95 ৳1,464

150.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$7.02 ৳860

537.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

$12.16 ৳1,489

40.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$4.99 ৳611

24.25%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$13.60 ৳1,666

5733.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$704 ৳86.2K

1182.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$17.07 ৳2,091

401.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$18.01 ৳2,206

224.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$32.43 ৳3,973

320.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$24.09 ৳2,951

328.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$74.3 ৳9,103

1325.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$53.9 ৳6,607

1159.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$132 ৳16.1K

1427.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$85.3 ৳10.4K

1270.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$361 ৳44.2K

1039.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$308 ৳37.7K

453.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$169 ৳20.7K

293.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.44

4.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barisal: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $74.3 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 293% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $11.00 in Barisal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $105 – 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 437%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $479 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 541% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $13.60 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 $320, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.