Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barlad Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barlad

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,025 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,587 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,150 in Barlad, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$9.37 RON 42.67

-36.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$46.93 RON 214

-29.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$7.83 RON 35.66

-9.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,154

$2.70 RON 12.30

-36.67%

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

$1.10 COP 3,949

$1.99 RON 9.04

-44.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,798

$1.74 RON 7.94

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,035

$2.35 RON 10.72

-28.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.71 RON 12.32

13.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,930

$1.48 RON 6.74

-26.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,536

$1.19 RON 5.41

5.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,953

$1.73 RON 7.89

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,876

$3.35 RON 15.26

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$8.39 RON 38.19

-47.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$6.87 RON 31.27

-18.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$10.50 RON 47.82

-15.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,401

$1.13 RON 5.15

107.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,801

$1.60 RON 7.27

-33.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,408

$1.61 RON 7.32

-6.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.93 RON 8.77

-28.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,137

$0.84 RON 3.84

36.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,181

$0.92 RON 4.19

26.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,202

$0.90 RON 4.08

-1.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.82 RON 3.72

2.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,196

$5.84 RON 26.60

-60.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$5.91 RON 26.89

80.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,311

$1.03 RON 4.69

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,880

$1.69 RON 7.70

46.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

$0.71 RON 3.24

21.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$19.73 RON 89.8

109.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,297

$0.76 RON 3.48

93.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,053

$0.74 RON 3.35

164.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$7.09 RON 32.26

9.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,430

$1.54 RON 7.00

-38.31%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$28.3K RON 128.8K

-35.93%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$26.9K RON 122.5K

-1.59%

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

$82.3 COP 295.6K

$147 RON 668

-43.95%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$7.88 RON 35.86

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$9.12 RON 41.52

165.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$41.89 RON 191

-38.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$18.99 RON 86.5

0.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$7.07 RON 32.20

-44.41%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$433 RON 1,971

-28.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$6,944 RON 31.6K

-14.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$68.0 RON 309

-13.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.2K

$38.52 RON 175

-16.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.7K

$75.3 RON 343

36.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$91.2 RON 415

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$396 RON 1,802

20.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$292 RON 1,327

29.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$585 RON 2,665

43.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$443 RON 2,018

63.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,967 RON 8,954

41.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$1,223 RON 5,566

-0.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.56

104.73%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barlad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $396 in Barlad. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $207 – making Medellin 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 Barlad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $1,025 in Barlad – roughly 1% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,537 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 110% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $433 in Barlad. 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in Barlad at $1,025. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barlad it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,013 in Medellin to $1,025 in Barlad. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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