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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $866 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,363 in Barranquilla, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,859 in Barranquilla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% more than Barranquilla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Barranquilla are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Barranquilla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$4.94 COP 17.6K

21.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$30.96 COP 110.2K

6.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$7.16 COP 25.5K

-0.98%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$1.75 COP 6,244

-2.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$0.92 COP 3,285

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.60 COP 2,139

30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$1.37 COP 4,868

22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.93 COP 6,852

59.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.94 COP 3,348

15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.33 COP 4,732

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.03 COP 3,653

33.98%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.03 COP 7,240

7.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.51 COP 16.1K

-2.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$5.21 COP 18.5K

8.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$7.14 COP 25.4K

24.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.88 COP 10.3K

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.36 COP 4,834

-22.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.52 COP 5,415

-1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$0.85 COP 3,026

62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$0.90 COP 3,214

27.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.50 COP 5,341

-22.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.81 COP 2,898

9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.62 COP 2,194

35.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.81 COP 9,998

-18.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.55 COP 34.0K

11.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$0.89 COP 3,167

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.31 COP 4,677

88.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.76 COP 2,722

13.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$32.20 COP 114.6K

28.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.92 COP 6,824

-23.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$2.82 COP 10.1K

-30.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$4.94 COP 17.6K

56.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.00 COP 3,571

-5.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$15.0K COP 53.4M

20.89%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$22.1K COP 78.6M

19.90%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$139 COP 493.5K

-40.70%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$8.13 COP 28.9K

16.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$21.37 COP 76.0K

13.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$21.44 COP 76.3K

20.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$14.36 COP 51.1K

32.31%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.16 COP 14.8K

-5.53%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$61.2 COP 217.7K

405.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$1,837 COP 6.5M

224.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$61.3 COP 218.3K

-4.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$52.6 COP 187.2K

-38.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$80.3 COP 285.7K

27.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$71.5 COP 254.4K

51.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$235 COP 835.4K

102.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$224 COP 797.3K

69.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$544 COP 1.9M

54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$456 COP 1.6M

58.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,574 COP 5.6M

77.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$605 COP 2.2M

100.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$486 COP 1.7M

5.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Barranquilla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $235 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 5% 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: $188 vs $171 – 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 17% 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,299 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $866 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 $866, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $866 versus $1,013 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.