Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayamon

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $2,080 in Bayamon, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Bayamon, Puerto Rico
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Bayamon
🇵🇷 Puerto Rico
$2,080
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Bayamon

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $2,080 in Bayamon.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Bayamon $2,080

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $3,123 in Bayamon.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Bayamon $3,123

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $4,166 in Bayamon.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Bayamon $4,166

Living in Medellin costs roughly 21% less than in Bayamon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Bayamon 53% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$18.78 $18.78
-56.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$82.4 $82.4
-42.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$9.00 $9.00
5.56%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$3.37 $3.37
-10.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.85 $1.85
-2.70%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.37 $1.37
2.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$2.96 $2.96
7.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.90 $3.90
47.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
$2.14 $2.14
-29.44%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
$3.51 $3.51
-32.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
$2.27 $2.27
-22.03%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
$5.39 $5.39
-46.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$10.93 $10.93
-6.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$7.88 $7.88
25.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
$11.31 $11.31
23.70%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$4.70 $4.70
-15.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
$2.63 $2.63
-41.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
$4.60 $4.60
-52.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
$4.94 $4.94
-55.87%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
$2.73 $2.73
-28.21%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
$4.07 $4.07
-60.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
$3.44 $3.44
-66.57%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
$1.53 $1.53
-18.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$11.14 $11.14
-64.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$15.85 $15.85
-13.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
$2.61 $2.61
-36.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
$3.43 $3.43
-34.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$2.04 $2.04
-42.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
$12.06 $12.06
541.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
$2.47 $2.47
-48.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
$1.47 $1.47
39.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$41.60 $41.60
-79.45%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
$1.14 $1.14
18.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
$35.3K $35.3K
-3.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$27.5K $27.5K
26.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
$221 $221
-23.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$69.3 $69.3
-80.44%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$59.9 $59.9
-53.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$24.58 $24.58
77.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$9.97 $9.97
-30.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$814 $814
-2.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$12.7K $12.7K
-28.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
$25.13 $25.13
237.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
$61.6 $61.6
-5.97%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
$109 $109
24.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
$49.28 $49.28
98.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$1,014 $1,014
19.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$917 $917
-30.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,635 $1,635
24.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,551 $1,551
-34.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Bayamon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$2,037 $2,037
-67.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
6.55
67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Bayamon: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Bayamon
$917 42.9% $275
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Bayamon
$376 26.5% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Bayamon
$350 65.8% $139
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Bayamon
$253 49.2% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Bayamon
$110 34.9% $59
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Bayamon
$30 67.9% $64
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Bayamon
$45 22.6% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $1,014 in Bayamon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bayamon pays about 3.1 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $82 in Bayamon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $376 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇷 Bayamon
🕒 Local time
21:24 9:24 PM
22:24 10:24 PM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
165,368
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

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).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Bayamon 1,690 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Bayamon

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 Bayamon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Medellin cheaper than Bayamon?
Medellin is about 21% cheaper overall, especially in utilities, eating out, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Bayamon?
On paper, salaries run 68% 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Bayamon?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,014 in Bayamon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or in Bayamon?
Dining out is cheaper in Medellin – a meal for two runs $47 versus $82 in Bayamon. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Bayamon?
All in, you’ll spend $1,639 per month in Medellin versus $2,080 in Bayamon – Medellin is about 21% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $2,500 enough for either Medellin or Bayamon?
Either city works on $2,500 a month, though Medellin gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is it better to live in Medellin or in Bayamon?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Medellin wins on affordability, Bayamon on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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