Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barrigada Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Barrigada

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,014 in Barrigada.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $3,817 in Barrigada.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $4,620 in Barrigada.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 66% less than in Barrigada, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Barrigada is 126% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$98.2 $98.2

-66.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.66 $3.66

-53.01%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.87 $1.87

-43.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.77 $2.77

-38.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.69 $3.69

-14.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.38 $3.38

-68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$4.79 $4.79

-54.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$7.15 $7.15

-67.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.48 $1.48

-33.11%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$415 $415

-80.54%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$101 $101

-90.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$79.4 $79.4

-69.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$718 $718

-57.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$2,490 $2,490

-80.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$2,248 $2,248

-83.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$3,365 $3,365

-74.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$3,165 $3,165

-76.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$4,819 $4,819

-87.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Barrigada: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $2,490 in Barrigada. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barrigada pays 681% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $98.0 in Barrigada. Groceries flip the comparison at $193 vs $53.0, with Barrigada cheaper for home cooking.

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 cheaper overall, especially in Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 192% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 681% lower in Barrigada. 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: $477 in Medellin versus $2,490 in Barrigada. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Barrigada pay roughly 264% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $3,014 in Barrigada – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $3,014 in Barrigada, a $1,500 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.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Barrigada, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Barrigada are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 192% less than in Barrigada. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.