Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barreiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barreiro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $1,712 in Barreiro, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $2,434 in Barreiro, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $3,156 in Barreiro, rent included.

Medellin is about 2% cheaper than Barreiro, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Barreiro sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Barreiro by 25%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$16.41 €14.03

-51.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$46.97 €40.17

-5.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$9.78 €8.37

-5.01%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$2.58 €2.21

12.40%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.97 €1.69

-8.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$2.27 €1.94

-31.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$3.51 €3.01

-7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$3.42 €2.93

71.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.07 €0.92

28.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.59 €1.36

54.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.69 €1.45

-10.65%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.56 €3.04

-21.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.11 €7.79

-0.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$7.92 €6.78

34.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$15.55 €13.30

-5.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.92 €2.50

35.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.47 €1.26

-6.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$2.02 €1.73

13.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.48 €1.26

36.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.68 €1.43

24.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$2.21 €1.89

-26.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.73 €1.48

-37.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.69 €0.59

81.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$6.08 €5.20

-33.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$6.31 €5.40

113.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.33 €1.14

20.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.10 €0.94

172.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.48 €1.26

-20.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$46.86 €40.08

70.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$2.25 €1.93

-28.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.83 €0.71

156.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$17.54 €15.00

-51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$2.11 €1.81

-36.02%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$34.2K €29.2K

-17.12%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$39.2K €33.5K

-8.93%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$122 €104

24.26%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$22.03 €18.85

-40.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$39.43 €33.73

-18.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$37.96 €32.47

22.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$13.85 €11.85

24.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$8.70 €7.45

-26.09%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$646 €552

29.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$11.5K €9,875

-23.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$80.9 €69.2

10.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$38.81 €33.20

42.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$86.0 €73.6

58.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$108 €92.5

1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$998 €854

-4.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$795 €680

-15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$1,531 €1,310

31.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$1,094 €936

5.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$4,108 €3,514

-10.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$2,841 €2,430

-44.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$940 €804

-33.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

4.12

153.16%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Barreiro: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $998 in Barreiro. 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 50% higher in Barreiro, 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Barreiro. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $246 in Barreiro – so Barreiro 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 Barreiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,687 in Medellin, $1,712 in Barreiro – roughly 2% apart. Barreiro costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,530 per month in Medellin and $2,569 in Barreiro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $1,712 in Barreiro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Medellin. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,687, than in Barreiro at $1,712. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barreiro 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 $1,687 in Medellin to $1,712 in Barreiro. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Barreiro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.