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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,036 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,583 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,131 in Barlad, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Barlad 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$9.37 RON 42.97

-36.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$45.54 RON 209

-27.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$8.11 RON 37.22

-12.21%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$2.69 RON 12.34

-36.43%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.95 RON 8.94

-46.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$1.68 RON 7.70

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$2.25 RON 10.33

-23.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.69 RON 12.32

17.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$1.55 RON 7.10

-31.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.24 RON 5.68

5.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.67 RON 7.68

-20.36%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$3.38 RON 15.52

-32.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$8.34 RON 38.28

-47.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$6.72 RON 30.83

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$10.44 RON 47.89

-17.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$1.18 RON 5.42

98.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.60 RON 7.34

-31.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.61 RON 7.38

-8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$2.01 RON 9.21

-31.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$0.89 RON 4.10

31.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$0.99 RON 4.56

18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.87 RON 3.99

3.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.77 RON 3.54

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$5.90 RON 27.04

-60.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$7.17 RON 32.91

66.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.08 RON 4.94

6.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$1.65 RON 7.55

46.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.72 RON 3.28

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$19.86 RON 91.1

105.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$0.78 RON 3.56

80.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$0.70 RON 3.22

172.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$6.88 RON 31.55

13.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.59 RON 7.31

-40.88%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$28.1K RON 128.7K

-36.49%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$27.3K RON 125.5K

-0.98%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$151 RON 692

-44.82%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$8.30 RON 38.09

16.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$8.94 RON 41.01

170.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$40.77 RON 187

-38.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$19.45 RON 89.2

-0.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$7.06 RON 32.37

-42.35%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$433 RON 1,988

-29.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$6,858 RON 31.5K

-12.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$67.4 RON 309

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$38.67 RON 177

-15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$75.3 RON 345

34.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$91.7 RON 421

17.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$391 RON 1,796

21.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$287 RON 1,315

32.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$591 RON 2,709

38.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$443 RON 2,031

59.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,722 RON 7,901

85.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,423 RON 6,530

1.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $391 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 $46.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $210 – 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: $1,018 in Medellin, $1,036 in Barlad – roughly 2% apart. Barlad costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,554 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 106% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $307 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 $1,018, than in Barlad at $1,036. 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 $1,018 in Medellin to $1,036 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.