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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,037 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,604 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,171 in Barlad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 65% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Barlad is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$10.64 RON 48.06

-24.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$41.71 RON 188

15.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.50 RON 33.88

30.27%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.67 RON 12.06

8.99%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$2.04 RON 9.23

-4.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.67 RON 7.57

-8.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.14 RON 9.69

44.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.58 RON 11.64

122.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.40 RON 6.32

-2.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.29 RON 5.83

85.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.41 RON 6.38

20.57%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$3.10 RON 13.98

-7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$7.41 RON 33.47

34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$6.52 RON 29.44

65.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.62 RON 47.99

38.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.26 RON 5.69

224.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.45 RON 6.54

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.38 RON 6.23

54.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$2.30 RON 10.39

-3.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$0.78 RON 3.54

162.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.78 RON 3.50

92.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.85 RON 3.85

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.94 RON 4.23

23.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$6.86 RON 31.00

-43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$6.36 RON 28.71

127.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.26 RON 5.69

25.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.51 RON 6.82

87.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.52 RON 2.37

125.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$21.51 RON 97.2

261.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$0.75 RON 3.40

70.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.74 RON 3.35

182.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$7.04 RON 31.82

22.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.84 RON 8.30

-29.35%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$28.5K RON 129.0K

-3.11%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$29.1K RON 131.6K

21.90%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$165 RON 743

7.03%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.46 RON 42.73

41.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$9.15 RON 41.34

226.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$36.78 RON 166

21.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$22.62 RON 102

-24.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$7.18 RON 32.44

-13.65%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$444 RON 2,008

78.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$6,345 RON 28.7K

42.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$61.9 RON 280

38.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$42.63 RON 193

37.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$86.0 RON 388

58.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$76.7 RON 347

34.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$354 RON 1,600

199.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$328 RON 1,483

107.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$609 RON 2,753

230.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$450 RON 2,033

159.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,862 RON 8,414

120.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,415 RON 6,393

20.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.97

56.96%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barlad: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $354 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $204 – making Barlad 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: $1,716 in Medellin, $1,037 in Barlad – roughly 65% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,556 in Barlad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 261% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $444 in Barlad. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Barlad, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Barlad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin 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 $1,037 in Barlad to $1,716 in Medellin. 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 Barlad. 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.