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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $1,024 in Barlad, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,576 in Barlad, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,129 in Barlad, rent included.

Medellin costs about 1% more than Barlad, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Barlad are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Barlad 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$9.70 RON 42.10

-38.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$45.51 RON 198

-27.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$7.98 RON 34.64

-9.15%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$2.64 RON 11.47

-35.23%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$2.00 RON 8.70

-45.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$1.76 RON 7.63

-56.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.27 RON 9.87

-22.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.74 RON 11.88

16.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$1.54 RON 6.67

-31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.23 RON 5.33

5.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.73 RON 7.53

-20.23%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$3.39 RON 14.70

-34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.67 RON 37.63

-47.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$6.76 RON 29.33

-14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$10.20 RON 44.27

-12.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.13 RON 4.92

102.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.54 RON 6.69

-31.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.60 RON 6.96

-5.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.93 RON 8.36

-29.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.83 RON 3.59

39.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.97 RON 4.21

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.87 RON 3.77

-4.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.77 RON 3.33

10.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$5.76 RON 25.01

-59.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.89 RON 34.26

40.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.07 RON 4.63

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.71 RON 7.40

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.70 RON 3.04

12.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$19.64 RON 85.2

113.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$0.71 RON 3.09

102.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.73 RON 3.19

160.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$6.81 RON 29.57

13.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.53 RON 6.65

-32.68%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$28.3K RON 122.8K

-37.52%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$27.2K RON 118.2K

-0.78%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$152 RON 659

-46.37%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$7.89 RON 34.24

19.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$9.04 RON 39.25

162.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$41.38 RON 180

-37.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$19.08 RON 82.8

1.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.87 RON 29.81

-41.05%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$424 RON 1,840

-26.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$7,014 RON 30.4K

-13.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$67.3 RON 292

-12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$38.54 RON 167

-14.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$75.4 RON 327

33.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$93.8 RON 407

13.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$393 RON 1,705

24.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$295 RON 1,280

25.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$578 RON 2,510

44.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$445 RON 1,933

60.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$2,024 RON 8,782

45.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,552 RON 6,737

-10.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Barlad: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $393 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 in Medellin versus $46 in Barlad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $211 – 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: $1,030 in Medellin, $1,024 in Barlad – roughly 1% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,535 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 113% less in Barlad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $424 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 $1,024, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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 $1,024 in Barlad to $1,030 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.