Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barra

For one person, living is cheaper in Barra: $104 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $18,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Barra

🇬🇲 Gambia

$104

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Barra

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Barra actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $104 in Barra, rent included.

Medellin $1,639
Barra $104

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $177 in Barra, rent included.

Medellin $2,413
Barra $177

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $250 in Barra, rent included.

Medellin $3,186
Barra $250

Medellin costs about 1473% more than Barra, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Barra is 92% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 25.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 148.9K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.1K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,540

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

$1.80 COP 5,693

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,469

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,778

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,524

$0.96 GMD 71.5

147.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,606

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,146

$2.47 GMD 183

17.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.2K

$7.20 GMD 533

37.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 44.3K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.6K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 4,911

$1.99 GMD 147

-22.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,907

$2.72 GMD 202

-19.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 6,910

$2.01 GMD 149

8.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,210

$1.11 GMD 81.9

76.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,029

$0.80 GMD 59.0

98.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,625

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,934

$0.45 GMD 33.15

175.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 43.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,252

$1.11 GMD 82.1

49.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,145

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,696

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,013

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,480

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,262

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

$34.1K COP 107.8M

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

$34.7K COP 109.7M

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

$170 COP 536.8K

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

$13.55 COP 42.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 88.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 138.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 21.9K

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

$797 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 28.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 268.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 183.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 427.1K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 309.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Barra: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Barra

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Barra

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Barra

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Barra

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Barra

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Barra

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Barra

–

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇬🇲 Barra

🕒 Local time

20:55 8:55 PM

01:55 1:55 AM

5 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

6,020

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Gambian Dalasi GMD D

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

100 GMD = 1.35 USD

100 GMD = 1.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

GMD, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

Gambian Dalasi exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 74.1 GMD (100 GMD = 1.35 USD). 1 EUR = 82.49 GMD (100 GMD = 1.21 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Medellin Barra 6,510 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Barra

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Barra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 1473%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $156 in Barra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $104 in Barra. That makes Barra about 94% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 185% more in Medellin, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barra, where all-in costs run around $104, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Barra 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 $104 in Barra to $1,639 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.