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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,469 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $2,054 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $2,640 in Bayamo.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 30% less than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% below, Bayamo is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.19 CUP 76.4

93.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$50.9 CUP 1,222

-35.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.99 CUP 168

5.01%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$3.32 CUP 79.8

-48.19%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.27 CUP 30.46

-17.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.13 CUP 27.09

-31.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.97 CUP 47.30

-14.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.79 CUP 42.95

77.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$3.02 CUP 72.4

-65.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.99 CUP 23.71

31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$3.06 CUP 73.4

-54.25%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$3.52 CUP 84.5

-38.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.04 CUP 145

-27.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.16 CUP 148

-4.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$11.96 CUP 287

-27.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$5.08 CUP 122

-55.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.23 CUP 29.64

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.54 CUP 36.88

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.46 CUP 35.11

-7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.97 CUP 47.35

-42.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.95 CUP 70.9

-61.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.03 CUP 24.62

-17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.12 CUP 26.97

-18.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$4.02 CUP 96.6

-41.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$10.08 CUP 242

22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.98 CUP 47.56

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.97 CUP 47.26

26.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.22 CUP 5.19

281.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$35.20 CUP 845

15.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$2.24 CUP 53.8

-36.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.42 CUP 10.05

357.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$20.14 CUP 483

-61.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.23 CUP 29.43

-19.51%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$74.2K CUP 1.8M

-75.71%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$90.2K CUP 2.2M

-70.49%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$29.43 CUP 706

174.58%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.08 CUP 242

-1.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$255 CUP 6,110

-90.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$40.74 CUP 978

-38.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$9.91 CUP 238

93.24%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.01 CUP 24.26

294.06%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$96.5 CUP 2,316

216.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$15.3K CUP 366.7K

-60.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$20.36 CUP 489

185.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$25.23 CUP 605

27.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$69.5 CUP 1,669

44.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$55.9 CUP 1,342

92.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$422 CUP 10.1K

12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$669 CUP 16.1K

-43.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$585 CUP 14.0K

44.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$968 CUP 23.2K

-24.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$393 CUP 9,421

719.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$348 CUP 8,356

294.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$19.80 CUP 475

3015.15%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $422 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 3015% 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 $51.0 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $261 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3015% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $422 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 $51.0 in Bayamo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $1,469 in Bayamo – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,469 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 43% less than in Bayamo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.