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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $850 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,351 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,852 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Barranquilla 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.79 COP 15.6K

28.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$31.41 COP 102.2K

3.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.31 COP 23.8K

0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.76 COP 5,725

-2.27%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.85 COP 2,765

23.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.64 COP 2,098

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.35 COP 4,384

25.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.89 COP 6,139

67.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.99 COP 3,220

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.26 COP 4,112

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.07 COP 3,482

30.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.06 COP 6,717

4.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.70 COP 15.3K

-6.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.19 COP 16.9K

13.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.15 COP 23.3K

20.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.87 COP 9,341

-20.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.35 COP 4,400

-17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.51 COP 4,925

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.82 COP 2,679

64.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.95 COP 3,088

18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.43 COP 4,659

-20.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.86 COP 2,799

-1.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.57 COP 1,870

59.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.73 COP 8,901

-14.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$11.25 COP 36.6K

9.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.91 COP 2,967

31.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.34 COP 4,352

85.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.71 COP 2,322

18.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$32.39 COP 105.4K

25.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.92 COP 6,244

-26.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.96 COP 9,627

-35.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.95 COP 16.1K

54.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.00 COP 3,266

-1.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$14.9K COP 48.4M

21.31%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$22.4K COP 72.9M

18.89%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$139 COP 452.4K

-41.86%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.09 COP 26.3K

22.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.84 COP 71.1K

10.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$21.43 COP 69.7K

17.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$14.66 COP 47.7K

30.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.20 COP 13.7K

-5.24%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$61.7 COP 201.0K

394.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,834 COP 6.0M

230.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.0 COP 201.8K

-6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$53.8 COP 175.0K

-40.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$80.0 COP 260.4K

25.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$71.8 COP 233.6K

50.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$236 COP 766.8K

102.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$220 COP 714.7K

71.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$531 COP 1.7M

59.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$456 COP 1.5M

60.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,791 COP 5.8M

79.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$686 COP 2.2M

99.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$544 COP 1.8M

13.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $236 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 13% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $31.00 in Barranquilla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $175 – making Barranquilla 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 Barranquilla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 21% more than Barranquilla, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,276 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $31.00 in Barranquilla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $850 in Barranquilla. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Barranquilla, where all-in costs run around $850, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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 $850 versus $1,031 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.