Cost of Living Comparison Between Arcos de Valdevez and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Arcos de Valdevez and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,559 per month in Arcos de Valdevez vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,290 per month in Arcos de Valdevez vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,022 per month in Arcos de Valdevez vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Arcos de Valdevez costs about 51% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Arcos de Valdevez sits 17% above the global median, while Medellin is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.42 €8.26

$6.16 COP 19.8K

52.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.81 €38.41

$32.60 COP 104.8K

34.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 €7.56

$7.34 COP 23.6K

17.44%

Cappuccino

$1.81 €1.59

$1.72 COP 5,527

5.23%

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

$1.52 €1.34

$1.05 COP 3,376

44.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 €1.09

$0.77 COP 2,482

61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 €1.97

$1.69 COP 5,417

33.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 €2.80

$3.17 COP 10.2K

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.05 COP 3,379

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.30 COP 4,181

30.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 €1.57

$1.40 COP 4,485

27.86%

Eggs

$2.26 €1.98

$2.16 COP 6,956

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.13 €8.01

$4.39 COP 14.1K

107.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.83 €6.86

$5.88 COP 18.9K

33.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 €12.09

$8.64 COP 27.8K

59.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 €1.98

$2.28 COP 7,330

-0.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 €1.35

$1.11 COP 3,557

38.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 €1.77

$1.53 COP 4,918

32.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 €1.98

$1.35 COP 4,353

67.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 €1.21

$1.13 COP 3,627

22.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.70 €1.49

$1.13 COP 3,644

50.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 €0.89

$0.85 COP 2,717

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.53

$0.91 COP 2,937

-32.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.89 €5.16

$2.34 COP 7,531

151.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.57 €4.00

$12.37 COP 39.7K

-63.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 €0.96

$1.20 COP 3,859

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.54

$2.49 COP 8,000

-29.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 €1.98

$0.84 COP 2,692

169.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.30 €37.09

$40.57 COP 130.4K

4.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 €3.84

$1.42 COP 4,563

208.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 €1.09

$1.92 COP 6,155

-34.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.65 €12.84

$7.66 COP 24.6K

91.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.91 €1.67

$0.99 COP 3,181

92.93%

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

$29.1K €25.5K

$18.0K COP 57.9M

61.61%

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

$38.8K €34.0K

$26.6K COP 85.6M

45.78%

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

$106 €92.6

$80.8 COP 259.7K

30.73%

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

$17.63 €15.46

$9.95 COP 32.0K

77.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.48 €30.23

$24.18 COP 77.7K

42.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.54 €39.06

$25.08 COP 80.6K

77.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.07 €12.33

$19.15 COP 61.5K

-26.53%

Cinema Ticket

$8.14 €7.14

$3.98 COP 12.8K

104.52%

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

$350 €307

$305 COP 980.7K

14.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,313 €7,289

$6,059 COP 19.5M

37.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 €64.0

$58.1 COP 186.8K

25.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.36 €30.13

$32.20 COP 103.5K

6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.0 €79.7

$101 COP 323.7K

-9.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 €89.9

$108 COP 346.3K

-4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$940 €824

$477 COP 1.5M

97.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 €651

$376 COP 1.2M

97.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 €1,291

$845 COP 2.7M

74.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,153 €1,011

$730 COP 2.3M

57.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,262 €2,860

$3,215 COP 10.3M

1.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,319 €2,033

$1,372 COP 4.4M

68.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,901 €1,667

$617 COP 2.0M

208.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

13.43

-59.57%

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

Last update for Arcos de Valdevez: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $940 in Arcos de Valdevez 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 208% higher in Arcos de Valdevez, 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 $44.00 in Arcos de Valdevez versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $193 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Arcos de Valdevez vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arcos de Valdevez costs about 51% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,338 per month in Arcos de Valdevez 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 Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $350 per month in Arcos de Valdevez and $305 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Arcos de Valdevez, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Arcos de Valdevez at $1,559. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Arcos de Valdevez it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Medellin costs $1,031 versus $1,559 in Arcos de Valdevez. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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