Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Belem and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Belem versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in Belem versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,724 in Belem versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Belem costs roughly 24% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Belem 41% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.66

$6.16 COP 20.1K

-28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.89 R$148

$32.60 COP 106.1K

-11.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$32.02

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-14.71%

Cappuccino

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.72 COP 5,600

-6.98%

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

$0.93 R$4.73

$1.05 COP 3,420

-11.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 R$2.38

$0.77 COP 2,515

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 R$8.16

$1.69 COP 5,488

-5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 R$17.93

$3.17 COP 10.3K

10.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.90

$1.05 COP 3,423

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 R$10.79

$1.30 COP 4,236

62.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.36

$1.40 COP 4,544

-10.71%

Eggs

$1.98 R$10.11

$2.16 COP 7,047

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.31 R$52.7

$4.39 COP 14.3K

134.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.95 R$20.18

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-32.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.71 R$34.28

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 R$8.74

$2.28 COP 7,426

-25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.83

$1.11 COP 3,604

55.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.59

$1.53 COP 4,983

-15.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 R$7.47

$1.35 COP 4,410

8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 R$4.72

$1.13 COP 3,674

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.55 R$2.81

$1.13 COP 3,692

-51.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 R$5.27

$0.85 COP 2,753

21.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.88

$0.91 COP 2,975

48.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.49 R$12.74

$2.34 COP 7,630

6.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.88 R$50.5

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.70

$1.20 COP 3,909

9.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 R$23.32

$2.49 COP 8,104

83.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 R$3.80

$0.84 COP 2,728

-11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.48 R$110

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-47.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.42 COP 4,623

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.79

$1.92 COP 6,235

-61.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 R$45.17

$7.66 COP 24.9K

15.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.30

$0.99 COP 3,223

5.05%

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

$16.1K R$82.3K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

-10.67%

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

$29.0K R$148.0K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

8.75%

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

$111 R$568

$80.8 COP 263.1K

37.52%

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

$14.53 R$74.3

$9.95 COP 32.4K

46.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.28 R$109

$24.18 COP 78.7K

-11.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.25 R$109

$25.08 COP 81.7K

-15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.56 R$110

$19.15 COP 62.3K

12.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 R$31.76

$3.98 COP 13.0K

56.03%

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

$101 R$514

$305 COP 993.5K

-67.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,082 R$15.7K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

-49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 R$169

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-43.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 R$148

$32.20 COP 104.8K

-10.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.8 R$387

$101 COP 327.9K

-24.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.88 R$214

$108 COP 350.8K

-61.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$435 R$2,225

$477 COP 1.6M

-8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 R$962

$376 COP 1.2M

-49.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 R$4,091

$845 COP 2.7M

-5.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 R$2,382

$730 COP 2.4M

-36.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,951 R$9,972

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-39.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,369 R$6,995

$1,372 COP 4.5M

-0.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$409 R$2,090

$617 COP 2.0M

-33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.2

13.43

-9.16%

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

Last update for Belem: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $435 in Belem and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 51% 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: $29.00 in Belem vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $207 vs $193, with Medellin cheaper for home cooking.

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

Belem vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Belem is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 32% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 51% 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: $435 in Belem versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Belem runs roughly 89% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $101 in Belem versus $305 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $783 in Belem versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Belem but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Belem the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Belem is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Belem gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.