Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barquisimeto Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barquisimeto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $557 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $939 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,322 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Medellin is roughly 82% more expensive than Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Barquisimeto 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.40 VES 4,124

-19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$30.54 VES 17.0K

7.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.15 VES 5,655

-30.15%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.01 VES 565

69.31%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.18 VES 658

-6.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.71 VES 397

9.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.47 VES 821

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.54 VES 856

99.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.53 VES 850

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.48 VES 1,383

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.99 VES 550

39.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.62 VES 902

35.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.10 VES 2,284

7.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.05 VES 2,817

11.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.05 VES 3,926

26.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.91 VES 2,734

-52.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.98 VES 547

8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.98 VES 548

53.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.98 VES 544

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.99 VES 550

16.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.47 VES 819

-21.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.52 VES 288

71.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.02 VES 566

-17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.07 VES 1,713

-25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.37 VES 7,453

-20.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$0.78 VES 434

53.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.02 VES 567

142.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.44 VES 245

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$5.11 VES 2,847

-71.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.51 VES 286

86.27%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$24.7K VES 13.8M

-26.74%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$36.4K VES 20.3M

-27.24%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$20.08 VES 11.2K

309.61%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.08 VES 5,618

-5.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$40.41 VES 22.5K

-40.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.57 VES 12.6K

14.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.49 VES 2,501

-12.47%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$50.1 VES 27.9K

518.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$27.93 VES 15.6K

110.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.91 VES 13.9K

29.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$50.3 VES 28.0K

104.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$49.45 VES 27.6K

119.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$199 VES 110.9K

139.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$50.7 VES 28.2K

647.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$246 VES 136.9K

241.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$149 VES 82.9K

386.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$469 VES 261.3K

494.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$248 VES 138.4K

387.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$190 VES 105.9K

169.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 169% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Barquisimeto. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $201, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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 Barquisimeto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Barquisimeto differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $557 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 169% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $199 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $557 in Barquisimeto – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $557 in Barquisimeto versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Barquisimeto but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Barquisimeto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Barquisimeto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.