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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $325 in Barisal, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $495 in Barisal, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $666 in Barisal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 217% more than Barisal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Barisal are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Barisal 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$1.14 ৳141

440.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$5.62 ৳693

480.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.23 ৳645

40.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 ৳490

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 ৳577

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$0.63 ৳77.8

173.02%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.18 ৳21.66

483.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.12 ৳14.90

541.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.68 ৳83.4

54.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.60 ৳73.4

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.55 ৳68.4

154.55%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.21 ৳149

78.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.85 ৳721

-24.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.61 ৳322

125.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.53 ৳805

32.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.98 ৳245

15.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.93 ৳115

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.74 ৳215

-12.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.56 ৳69.4

141.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.30 ৳36.67

276.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.43 ৳53.2

162.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.33 ৳40.44

157.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.29 ৳35.20

213.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$6.69 ৳825

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.68 ৳453

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 ৳590

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$3.30 ৳407

-29.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.30 ৳37.51

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$10.45 ৳1,288

288.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.64 ৳78.5

121.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.20 ৳24.59

860.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.01 ৳247

281.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.92 ৳113

7.61%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$28.4K ৳3.5M

-36.61%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.2K ৳3.4M

-2.12%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$30.50 ৳3,759

164.95%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.44 ৳671

82.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$22.31 ৳2,750

8.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$9.68 ৳1,193

159.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$8.06 ৳993

137.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.35 ৳413

18.81%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$17.19 ৳2,118

1675.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,291 ৳159.1K

369.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.04 ৳1,977

262.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$16.08 ৳1,982

100.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$28.92 ৳3,564

248.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$28.34 ৳3,493

280.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$80.8 ৳9,960

489.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$63.9 ৳7,880

488.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$134 ৳16.5K

530.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$96.9 ৳11.9K

654.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$353 ৳43.5K

811.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$306 ৳37.8K

347.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$171 ৳21.1K

259.94%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barisal: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $80.8 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 260% 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: $193 vs $102 – 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 217%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $488 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 288% less in Barisal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $17.19 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 $325, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.