Cost of Living Comparison Between Araras and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Araras and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $833 per month in Araras vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,295 per month in Araras vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,758 per month in Araras vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Araras is about 18% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Araras and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Araras 38% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 R$13.20

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-55.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.35 R$137

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-16.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.79 R$28.98

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-18.34%

Cappuccino

$2.00 R$9.99

$1.71 COP 6,115

16.96%

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

$1.26 R$6.29

$1.10 COP 3,924

14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 R$4.60

$0.78 COP 2,781

17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.09 R$10.46

$1.68 COP 5,997

24.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 R$13.77

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-10.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.23

$1.09 COP 3,906

-4.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 R$7.68

$1.26 COP 4,508

22.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R$6.68

$1.38 COP 4,922

-3.62%

Eggs

$2.91 R$14.55

$2.19 COP 7,827

32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.38 R$62.0

$4.40 COP 15.7K

181.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.23 R$21.15

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-24.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.59 R$42.98

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-3.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.60 R$8.02

$2.34 COP 8,349

-31.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.24

$1.06 COP 3,777

17.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 R$2.87

$1.50 COP 5,374

-62.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.71

$1.38 COP 4,924

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.56

$1.15 COP 4,111

13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.13

$1.16 COP 4,155

6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R$5.44

$0.89 COP 3,182

22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.26

$0.84 COP 2,997

48.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 R$11.07

$2.28 COP 8,145

-3.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.92 R$39.65

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 R$7.06

$1.20 COP 4,284

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R$10.64

$2.47 COP 8,824

-13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 R$3.86

$0.86 COP 3,056

-10.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.74 R$194

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-6.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 R$6.44

$1.47 COP 5,264

-12.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 R$5.05

$1.96 COP 7,009

-48.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 R$31.41

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-18.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 R$4.25

$0.95 COP 3,409

-10.53%

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

$20.7K R$103.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

13.97%

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

$28.8K R$144.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

8.63%

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

$85.9 R$430

$82.3 COP 293.7K

4.46%

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

$11.73 R$58.7

$9.50 COP 33.9K

23.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.26 R$81.4

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-32.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.0 R$275

$25.89 COP 92.4K

112.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.87 R$89.4

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-5.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 R$27.26

$3.93 COP 14.0K

38.68%

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

$284 R$1,421

$309 COP 1.1M

-8.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,972 R$39.9K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

33.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.84 R$229

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-21.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.08 R$201

$32.35 COP 115.5K

23.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 R$395

$103 COP 366.4K

-23.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.73 R$204

$108 COP 387.2K

-62.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 R$1,188

$476 COP 1.7M

-50.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 R$1,098

$379 COP 1.4M

-42.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 R$2,949

$838 COP 3.0M

-29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,155

$724 COP 2.6M

-40.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,600 R$8,009

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-42.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 R$5,739

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-5.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Araras: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Araras versus $476 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Araras versus $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Araras vs $188 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

Araras vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 22% more than Araras, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,249 per month in Araras and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Araras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $284 per month in Araras and $309 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Araras, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Araras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Araras costs $833 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Araras. 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.