Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bayan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $1,335 in Bayan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $2,276 in Bayan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $3,217 in Bayan.

Living in Medellin is roughly 26% more expensive than in Bayan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Bayan is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$11.46 KWD 3.53

-30.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$66.0 KWD 20.33

-27.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$9.17 KWD 2.82

7.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 KWD 1.48

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$5.07 KWD 1.56

-38.26%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$0.70 KWD 0.21

172.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.31 KWD 0.10

387.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$1.58 KWD 0.49

-8.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$1.47 KWD 0.45

69.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-6.35%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$2.07 KWD 0.64

43.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$4.43 KWD 1.36

127.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$6.72 KWD 2.07

50.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$10.27 KWD 3.16

39.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$2.50 KWD 0.77

65.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-14.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.88 KWD 0.58

19.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$1.56 KWD 0.48

44.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$1.32 KWD 0.41

54.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$1.42 KWD 0.44

8.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$2.40 KWD 0.74

-51.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.59 KWD 0.18

122.03%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.21 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$2.83 KWD 0.87

37.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

$0.82 KWD 0.25

48.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$4.92 KWD 1.52

-73.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$3.15 KWD 0.97

-30.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$15.98 KWD 4.92

-45.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$0.35 KWD 0.11

291.43%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$21.3K KWD 6,551

30.91%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$20.6K KWD 6,353

73.48%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$65.9 KWD 20.30

169.13%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$22.75 KWD 7.01

-38.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$29.61 KWD 9.12

0.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

$98.1 KWD 30.22

-54.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$11.17 KWD 3.44

-40.47%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$299 KWD 92.2

171.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$9,287 KWD 2,861

-1.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$38.02 KWD 11.71

135.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$40.05 KWD 12.34

47.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$97.1 KWD 29.91

42.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$90.2 KWD 27.80

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$730 KWD 225

45.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$579 KWD 178

14.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,801 KWD 555

4.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,345 KWD 415

-23.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.53

67.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bayan: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $730 in Bayan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $66.0 in Bayan. Groceries flip the comparison at $305 vs $187, with Bayan 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 Bayan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bayan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,521 in Medellin and $2,003 in Bayan to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $730 in Bayan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $299 in Bayan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Bayan – a meal for two runs $66.0 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,335 in Bayan versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bayan but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bayan 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Bayan 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 Bayan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.