Cost of Living Comparison Between Araraquara and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Araraquara and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $606 in Araraquara versus $1,028 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,005 in Araraquara versus $1,586 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,405 in Araraquara versus $2,144 in Medellin.

Living in Araraquara costs roughly 41% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Araraquara 55% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 R$25.19

$6.00 COP 20.6K

-18.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.78 R$112

$32.84 COP 112.9K

-33.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 R$33.11

$7.42 COP 25.5K

-13.48%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R$9.76

$1.65 COP 5,675

14.55%

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

$1.00 R$5.15

$1.07 COP 3,673

-6.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 R$3.59

$0.76 COP 2,614

-9.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$9.13

$1.72 COP 5,925

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 R$17.29

$3.20 COP 11.0K

4.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 R$4.39

$1.05 COP 3,607

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 R$5.91

$1.31 COP 4,492

-12.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 R$6.54

$1.34 COP 4,604

-5.22%

Eggs

$2.25 R$11.63

$2.19 COP 7,543

2.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.97 R$30.79

$4.41 COP 15.2K

35.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 R$15.88

$5.69 COP 19.6K

-45.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.56 R$28.67

$8.52 COP 29.3K

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.42

$2.34 COP 8,046

-47.01%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.21

$1.11 COP 3,815

-26.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.55

$1.52 COP 5,225

-42.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 R$5.84

$1.37 COP 4,694

-17.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 R$4.01

$1.15 COP 3,962

-32.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 R$3.56

$1.18 COP 4,055

-41.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 R$2.84

$0.84 COP 2,893

-34.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 R$3.11

$0.86 COP 2,940

-30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.75 R$9.03

$2.26 COP 7,776

-22.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.06 R$26.10

$11.60 COP 39.9K

-56.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.50

$1.20 COP 4,121

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.31

$2.48 COP 8,508

-42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 R$4.94

$0.79 COP 2,729

21.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.34 R$198

$40.83 COP 140.4K

-6.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 R$4.57

$1.47 COP 5,038

-39.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.87 R$4.51

$1.92 COP 6,587

-54.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.45 R$43.59

$7.77 COP 26.7K

8.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.20

$1.01 COP 3,474

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

$21.1K R$108.8K

$17.7K COP 60.7M

19.43%

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

$21.8K R$112.6K

$26.5K COP 90.9M

-17.53%

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

$47.28 R$244

$81.1 COP 278.8K

-41.70%

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

$8.93 R$46.08

$9.43 COP 32.4K

-5.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.07 R$82.9

$23.86 COP 82.0K

-32.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.30 R$120

$25.99 COP 89.4K

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.42 R$111

$18.71 COP 64.3K

14.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.66 R$18.91

$4.09 COP 14.1K

-10.51%

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

$309 R$1,594

$315 COP 1.1M

-1.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,994 R$36.1K

$6,022 COP 20.7M

16.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.20 R$213

$59.7 COP 205.2K

-30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.44 R$198

$31.97 COP 109.9K

20.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 R$435

$101 COP 347.9K

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.86 R$257

$105 COP 361.3K

-52.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$206 R$1,061

$485 COP 1.7M

-57.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 R$681

$365 COP 1.3M

-63.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$457 R$2,358

$827 COP 2.8M

-44.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,616

$730 COP 2.5M

-57.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,382 R$7,131

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-53.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$470 R$2,426

$551 COP 1.9M

-14.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

13.43

-18.69%

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

Last update for Araraquara: June 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $206 in Araraquara and $485 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 17% 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: $22.00 in Araraquara vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $135 vs $190 per month, with Araraquara 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

Araraquara vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Araraquara and Medellin differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($606 vs $1,028 including rent). Araraquara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 17% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $206 in Araraquara versus $485 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Araraquara – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $606 in Araraquara versus $1,028 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Araraquara but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Araraquara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Araraquara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.