Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayamo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayamo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,500 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $2,066 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $2,632 in Bayamo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 32% less than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Bayamo is 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.27 CUP 78.4

83.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$49.10 CUP 1,178

-33.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.82 CUP 164

3.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$3.15 CUP 75.7

-45.71%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.27 CUP 30.48

-13.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.08 CUP 25.85

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.96 CUP 47.13

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.77 CUP 42.58

73.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$3.03 CUP 72.7

-64.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.97 CUP 23.35

29.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$2.96 CUP 71.1

-53.38%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$3.56 CUP 85.3

-38.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.82 CUP 140

-24.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$5.91 CUP 142

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$12.17 CUP 292

-26.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$4.86 CUP 117

-51.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.22 CUP 29.36

-13.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.47 CUP 35.29

2.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.47 CUP 35.40

-6.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.98 CUP 47.51

-41.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.03 CUP 72.8

-61.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.01 CUP 24.27

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.12 CUP 26.77

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.88 CUP 93.2

-41.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$10.01 CUP 240

6.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.96 CUP 47.02

-38.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.96 CUP 46.94

26.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.18 CUP 4.28

377.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$34.39 CUP 825

20.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.23 CUP 53.5

-34.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.41 CUP 9.87

378.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$20.14 CUP 483

-61.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.22 CUP 29.31

-22.13%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$74.8K CUP 1.8M

-75.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$88.5K CUP 2.1M

-70.07%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$30.49 CUP 732

169.76%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.88 CUP 237

-3.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$253 CUP 6,065

-90.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$40.26 CUP 966

-35.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$10.02 CUP 241

89.62%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$0.99 CUP 23.68

296.97%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$96.8 CUP 2,324

219.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$15.2K CUP 365.3K

-60.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$20.09 CUP 482

191.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$24.83 CUP 596

30.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$71.3 CUP 1,712

43.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$54.0 CUP 1,296

100.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$431 CUP 10.3K

10.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$679 CUP 16.3K

-44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$591 CUP 14.2K

41.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$978 CUP 23.5K

-25.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$395 CUP 9,482

606.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$346 CUP 8,304

250.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$19.82 CUP 476

2482.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

123.83%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $431 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 2482% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $49.00 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $258 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

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 Bayamo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 2482% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $476 in Medellin versus $431 in Bayamo. 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 $33.00 versus $49.00 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $1,500 in Bayamo – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,500 in Bayamo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Bayamo. 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 Bayamo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.