Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Alfenas and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $665 per month in Alfenas vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,215 per month in Alfenas vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,765 per month in Alfenas vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Alfenas is about 35% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Alfenas and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Alfenas 50% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 R$18.25

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-42.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.53 R$141

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-15.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.32 R$27.21

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-27.52%

Cappuccino

$0.87 R$4.47

$1.72 COP 5,600

-49.42%

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

$0.52 R$2.65

$1.05 COP 3,420

-50.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.83

$0.77 COP 2,515

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.19 R$11.18

$1.69 COP 5,488

29.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 R$13.93

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-13.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.16

$1.05 COP 3,423

-3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 R$9.32

$1.30 COP 4,236

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.67

$1.40 COP 4,544

-6.43%

Eggs

$2.39 R$12.19

$2.16 COP 7,047

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.98 R$56.1

$4.39 COP 14.3K

150.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.37 R$22.32

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-25.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 R$45.31

$8.64 COP 28.1K

2.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 R$14.55

$2.28 COP 7,426

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 R$9.82

$1.11 COP 3,604

72.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 R$8.26

$1.53 COP 4,983

5.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 R$9.16

$1.35 COP 4,410

32.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.08

$1.13 COP 3,674

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.60

$1.13 COP 3,692

14.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 R$4.74

$0.85 COP 2,753

9.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.71

$0.91 COP 2,975

-19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 R$9.30

$2.34 COP 7,630

-22.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.52 R$48.67

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-23.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.88

$1.20 COP 3,909

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R$11.65

$2.49 COP 8,104

-8.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.74

$0.84 COP 2,728

10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.41 R$196

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-5.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.66

$1.42 COP 4,623

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.87

$1.92 COP 6,235

-60.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 R$46.19

$7.66 COP 24.9K

18.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 R$5.43

$0.99 COP 3,223

7.07%

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

$21.7K R$110.7K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

20.13%

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

$27.4K R$140.3K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

3.09%

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

$54.6 R$279

$80.8 COP 263.1K

-32.45%

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

$13.11 R$67.0

$9.95 COP 32.4K

31.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.70 R$90.4

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-26.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.22 R$114

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.36 R$109

$19.15 COP 62.3K

11.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 R$32.48

$3.98 COP 13.0K

59.55%

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

$496 R$2,537

$305 COP 993.5K

62.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K R$79.6K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

156.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 R$260

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-12.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.18 R$216

$32.20 COP 104.8K

30.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 R$402

$101 COP 327.9K

-21.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 R$377

$108 COP 350.8K

-31.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 R$1,585

$477 COP 1.6M

-34.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$90.1 R$461

$376 COP 1.2M

-76.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 R$2,988

$845 COP 2.7M

-30.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$429 R$2,192

$730 COP 2.4M

-41.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,518 R$7,760

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-52.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,004 R$5,129

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-26.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 R$2,515

$617 COP 2.0M

-20.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

13.43

-13.92%

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

Last update for Alfenas: July 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Alfenas versus $477 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 25% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Alfenas versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $215 in Alfenas vs $193 in Medellin – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Alfenas vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $665 in Alfenas, $1,031 in Medellin – roughly 55% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $997 per month in Alfenas and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 12% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Alfenas and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $665, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $665 in Alfenas to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.