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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $538 in Barquisimeto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $918 in Barquisimeto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,298 in Barquisimeto.

Living in Medellin is roughly 91% more expensive than in Barquisimeto, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Barquisimeto 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.32 VES 5,384

-15.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$30.12 VES 22.1K

8.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$9.96 VES 7,319

-26.31%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$0.97 VES 715

77.32%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.20 VES 884

-12.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.73 VES 540

5.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.48 VES 1,085

14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.54 VES 1,135

105.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.52 VES 1,117

-30.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$2.53 VES 1,859

-48.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.02 VES 747

37.25%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.64 VES 1,207

31.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.06 VES 2,983

8.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.03 VES 3,698

16.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.95 VES 5,109

24.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.89 VES 3,598

-53.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.98 VES 723

13.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.01 VES 744

51.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.03 VES 756

31.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.99 VES 727

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.51 VES 1,112

-25.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.52 VES 384

63.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.02 VES 748

-10.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.93 VES 2,156

-20.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$13.34 VES 9,807

-7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.79 VES 583

51.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$0.98 VES 718

154.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.44 VES 323

90.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$4.88 VES 3,584

-70.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.49 VES 359

102.04%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.5K VES 18.0M

-26.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$35.7K VES 26.3M

-25.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$19.97 VES 14.7K

304.66%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.07 VES 7,399

-1.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$40.16 VES 29.5K

-39.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$22.92 VES 16.9K

9.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.48 VES 3,294

-11.16%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$50.2 VES 36.9K

508.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$27.49 VES 20.2K

111.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$24.55 VES 18.0K

31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$50.8 VES 37.4K

98.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$49.06 VES 36.1K

119.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$202 VES 148.7K

135.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$49.50 VES 36.4K

659.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$253 VES 185.9K

233.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$151 VES 110.7K

384.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$473 VES 348.0K

579.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$245 VES 180.3K

459.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$188 VES 138.4K

227.65%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barquisimeto: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 228% 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 $30.00 in Barquisimeto. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $202, 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 91% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $538 including rent). Barquisimeto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 228% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $202 in Barquisimeto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $538 in Barquisimeto – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $538 in Barquisimeto versus $1,031 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 91% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.