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: $1,641 in Medellin versus $1,448 in Bayamo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,447 in Medellin versus $1,984 in Bayamo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Medellin versus $2,519 in Bayamo.

Living in Medellin is roughly 13% more expensive than in Bayamo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 19% above, Bayamo 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 25.1K

$3.21 CUP 77.1

150.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 150.7K

$30.75 CUP 738

57.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.4K

$6.78 CUP 163

38.94%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,169

$2.17 CUP 52.1

35.48%

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

$1.86 COP 5,817

$1.28 CUP 30.64

45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,543

$1.06 CUP 25.56

37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 10.0K

$1.96 CUP 46.97

63.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.8K

$1.78 CUP 42.67

220.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,491

$2.51 CUP 60.2

-42.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,494

$0.97 CUP 23.37

147.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,302

$2.44 CUP 58.5

-30.33%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 9,022

$4.32 CUP 104

-33.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 31.4K

$4.47 CUP 107

125.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 31.1K

$6.31 CUP 152

58.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 44.3K

$9.40 CUP 226

51.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$7.33 CUP 176

-45.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,947

$1.22 CUP 29.32

29.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,718

$1.22 CUP 29.36

76.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,178

$1.28 CUP 30.71

79.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,257

$2.43 CUP 58.3

-17.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$2.05 CUP 49.10

-26.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,754

$1.01 CUP 24.32

18.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 4,002

$1.51 CUP 36.25

-15.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 12.0K

$3.98 CUP 95.5

-3.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$10.13 CUP 243

38.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,331

$1.97 CUP 47.24

-13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,560

$1.54 CUP 36.97

77.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,888

$0.18 CUP 4.39

594.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 243.1K

$17.32 CUP 416

349.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,073

$2.34 CUP 56.1

-44.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,775

$0.72 CUP 17.19

201.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.9K

$19.77 CUP 475

-58.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,231

$1.28 CUP 30.79

6.25%

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

$27.5K COP 85.7M

$58.4K CUP 1.4M

-52.98%

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

$36.5K COP 114.0M

$91.4K CUP 2.2M

-60.04%

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

$169 COP 526.6K

$29.51 CUP 708

471.74%

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

$13.57 COP 42.4K

$12.37 CUP 297

9.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 88.4K

$250 CUP 5,997

-88.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 142.7K

$39.91 CUP 958

14.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.8K

$5.15 CUP 124

234.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.8K

$1.03 CUP 24.65

545.63%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$94.6 CUP 2,270

749.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.7M

$14.8K CUP 354.9K

-37.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 272.7K

$25.07 CUP 602

248.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 185.3K

$22.33 CUP 536

165.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 433.6K

$68.9 CUP 1,653

101.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.5K

$41.76 CUP 1,002

144.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$430 CUP 10.3K

148.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$669 CUP 16.1K

-2.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 6.0M

$588 CUP 14.1K

227.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.3M

$953 CUP 22.9K

9.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.9M

$390 CUP 9,352

958.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.3M

$355 CUP 8,512

378.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$20.38 CUP 489

3114.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

82.33%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Bayamo: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,071 in Medellin and $430 in Bayamo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 3114% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $31.00 in Bayamo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $257 per month, with Bayamo 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

Bayamo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3114% 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: $1,071 in Medellin versus $430 in Bayamo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayamo – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,641 per month in Medellin versus $1,448 in Bayamo – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,448 in Bayamo versus $1,641 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bayamo but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayamo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Expats usually find Bayamo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.