Cost of Living Comparison Between Brades and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Brades and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $724 in Brades versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,915 in Brades versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,107 in Brades versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Brades costs roughly 30% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brades 46% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.76 EC$50.6

$6.16 COP 20.1K

204.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.73 EC$132

$32.60 COP 106.1K

49.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 EC$19.74

$7.34 COP 23.9K

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$6.43 EC$17.37

$1.72 COP 5,600

273.84%

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

$2.45 EC$6.60

$1.05 COP 3,420

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 EC$3.80

$0.77 COP 2,515

83.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 EC$6.92

$1.69 COP 5,488

51.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.48 EC$12.11

$3.17 COP 10.3K

41.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.34 EC$9.03

$1.05 COP 3,423

218.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 EC$7.83

$1.30 COP 4,236

123.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

Eggs

$7.02 EC$18.96

$2.16 COP 7,047

225.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.91 EC$15.94

$4.39 COP 14.3K

34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 EC$25.56

$5.88 COP 19.1K

61.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.30 EC$65.6

$8.64 COP 28.1K

181.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.35 EC$9.04

$2.28 COP 7,426

46.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 EC$11.64

$1.35 COP 4,410

219.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 EC$5.96

$1.13 COP 3,692

95.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.26 EC$14.19

$0.85 COP 2,753

518.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

Wine (Bottle)

$22.53 EC$60.8

$12.37 COP 40.3K

82.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 EC$11.71

$2.49 COP 8,104

74.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.84 COP 2,728

122.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

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

$22.1K EC$59.6K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

22.43%

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

$16.9K EC$45.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

-36.57%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$41.33 EC$112

$9.95 COP 32.4K

315.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.7 EC$150

$25.08 COP 81.7K

121.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 EC$3,520

$845 COP 2.7M

54.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 EC$3,521

$730 COP 2.4M

78.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,271 EC$3,432

$617 COP 2.0M

106.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Brades: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 106% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $49.00 in Brades vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $193 per month, with Medellin 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

Brades vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 106% higher in Brades, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $724 per month in Brades versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 79% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $724 in Brades versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brades the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $724 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Brades and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.