Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barrigada

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,681 in Barrigada, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Barrigada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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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

Barrigada

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,681

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Barrigada

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 Barrigada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,681 in Barrigada.

Medellin $1,639
Barrigada $2,681

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $3,466 in Barrigada.

Medellin $2,413
Barrigada $3,466

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $4,252 in Barrigada.

Medellin $3,186
Barrigada $4,252

Living in Medellin costs roughly 39% less than in Barrigada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Barrigada 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 COP 26.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.05 COP 151.9K

$102 $102

-53.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.7K

Cappuccino

$3.01 COP 9,735

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

$1.80 COP 5,809

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 COP 4,561

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 COP 4,876

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 COP 7,678

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,720

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,333

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.87 COP 31.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.99 COP 45.2K

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.8K

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 COP 5,012

Oranges (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,048

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 COP 7,051

Potato (1kg)

$1.96 COP 6,337

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 COP 5,132

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,699

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,014

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 12.8K

$6.84 $6.84

-42.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 COP 44.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,359

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,291

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,771

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 COP 249.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,094

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,612

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.55 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,349

$1.45 $1.45

-6.90%

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

$34.1K COP 110.0M

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

$34.7K COP 111.9M

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

$170 COP 547.8K

$409 $409

-58.47%

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

$13.55 COP 43.8K

$98.5 $98.5

-86.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.07 COP 90.6K

$81.2 $81.2

-65.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.70 COP 141.1K

$80.1 $80.1

-45.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.19 COP 55.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 COP 22.3K

$12.89 $12.89

-46.39%

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

$797 COP 2.6M

$707 $707

12.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,112 COP 29.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 COP 273.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 COP 187.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$135 COP 435.8K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.9 COP 316.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,208 COP 3.9M

$2,385 $2,385

-49.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$642 COP 2.1M

$1,986 $1,986

-67.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,028 COP 6.5M

$3,156 $3,156

-35.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 COP 3.3M

$2,845 $2,845

-64.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,170 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,910 COP 6.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$657 COP 2.1M

$4,731 $4,731

-86.11%

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 Barrigada: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$642 39.1%

Barrigada

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$297 18.1%

Barrigada

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$211 12.9%

Barrigada

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$170 10.4%

Barrigada

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$169 10.3%

Barrigada

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$94 5.7%

Barrigada

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$58 3.5%

Barrigada

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays about 7.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $47 in Medellin vs $102 in Barrigada for two.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇬🇺 Barrigada

🕒 Local time

02:03 2:03 AM

17:03 5:03 PM

15 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

8,875

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,605 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

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Medellin Barrigada 15,040 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Barrigada

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 Barrigada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is about 39% cheaper overall, especially in utilities and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Medellin. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $2,385 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $102 in Barrigada. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $707 in Barrigada. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,681 in Barrigada, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Barrigada. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Barrigada on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.