Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Holetown

For one person, living is cheaper in Holetown: $363 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $15,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Holetown, Barbados
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Holetown
🇧🇧 Barbados
$363
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Holetown

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $363 in Holetown, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Holetown $363

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $809 in Holetown, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Holetown $809

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,255 in Holetown, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Holetown $1,255

Medellin costs about 351% more than Holetown, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Holetown is 73% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$12.54 BBD 25.08
-35.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.9K
$105 BBD 209
-54.98%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$13.21 BBD 26.43
-28.08%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,735
$4.58 BBD 9.17
-34.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,809
$1.51 BBD 3.03
19.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,561
$1.27 BBD 2.53
11.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.3K
$1.78 BBD 3.56
78.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.08 BBD 6.15
86.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,876
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,678
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,720
-
-
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,333
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.2K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,012
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,048
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,051
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,337
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,132
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,699
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,014
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,359
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,291
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,771
$1.71 BBD 3.41
-31.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,094
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,612
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,349
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 110.0M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.8K
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.8K
$30.39 BBD 60.8
-55.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.1K
$79.6 BBD 159
-45.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$12.68 BBD 25.37
-45.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$6,305 BBD 12.6K
44.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.5K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.2K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.8K
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 316.0K
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Holetown
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
-
-
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
Holetown
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
0
-

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Holetown: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Holetown
–
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Holetown
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Holetown
–
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Holetown
–
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Holetown
–
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Holetown
–
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Holetown
–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $105 in Holetown. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇧 Holetown
🕒 Local time
02:04 2:04 AM
03:04 3:04 AM
1 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
1,500
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BBD, 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).

Barbados Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BBD (1 BBD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.23 BBD (1 BBD = 0.448 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Holetown 1,910 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Holetown

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 Holetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Holetown compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,639 in Medellin, $363 in Holetown – Holetown comes out roughly 78% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Holetown?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $545 in Holetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Holetown?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $363 in Holetown. That makes Holetown about 78% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $105 in Holetown. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Holetown, where all-in costs run around $363, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Holetown it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Medellin vs other spots: cost of living compared

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