Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barranquilla Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barranquilla

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,480 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $2,301 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $3,122 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Barranquilla sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Barranquilla by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$8.43 COP 26.3K

-4.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$62.5 COP 195.3K

-22.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$12.66 COP 39.6K

-22.83%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.78 COP 8,697

4.68%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.34 COP 4,174

44.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.29 COP 4,044

17.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$4.05 COP 12.6K

-23.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$7.94 COP 24.8K

-27.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.88 COP 2,752

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.28 COP 4,005

86.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.62 COP 5,056

4.94%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.10 COP 6,547

36.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$4.97 COP 15.5K

100.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$17.95 COP 56.1K

-39.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$7.12 COP 22.2K

106.88%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.27 COP 7,090

80.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$0.93 COP 2,904

68.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$0.60 COP 1,886

255.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.85 COP 5,783

19.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.25 COP 3,905

64.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$0.98 COP 3,058

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$1.25 COP 3,912

-4.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.93 COP 2,918

24.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.09 COP 15.9K

-23.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$12.85 COP 40.2K

12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.54 COP 4,807

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$4.87 COP 15.2K

-41.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.20 COP 3,763

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$3.46 COP 10.8K

-63.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$3.22 COP 10.1K

-35.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$15.59 COP 48.7K

-44.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.34 COP 4,188

-2.99%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.1K COP 69.0M

25.27%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$29.2K COP 91.3M

21.52%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$151 COP 471.1K

16.77%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$14.54 COP 45.4K

-8.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$32.67 COP 102.1K

-8.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$34.51 COP 107.8K

29.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$4.82 COP 15.1K

28.63%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$323 COP 1.0M

145.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$4,682 COP 14.6M

92.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$112 COP 349.6K

-23.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$47.13 COP 147.2K

24.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$190 COP 593.4K

-28.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$255 COP 796.9K

-59.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$794 COP 2.5M

33.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$503 COP 1.6M

35.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$806 COP 2.5M

149.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$915 COP 2.9M

27.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,882 COP 5.9M

118.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$647 COP 2.0M

162.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$513 COP 1.6M

29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.40%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $794 in Barranquilla. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 30% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Barranquilla. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $256 in Barranquilla – so Barranquilla wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 16% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,220 in Barranquilla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,480 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $793 per month in Medellin and $323 in Barranquilla. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $1,480, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Barranquilla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Barranquilla costs $1,480 versus $1,716 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Barranquilla. 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.