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: $723 in Brades versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,939 in Brades versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,155 in Brades versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Brades costs roughly 29% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Brades 46% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.19 EC$49.12

$5.99 COP 21.4K

203.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.80 EC$129

$32.86 COP 117.4K

45.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 EC$20.36

$7.09 COP 25.3K

6.35%

Cappuccino

$6.45 EC$17.42

$1.71 COP 6,115

277.19%

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

$2.50 EC$6.75

$1.10 COP 3,924

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 EC$3.73

$0.78 COP 2,781

76.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 EC$6.92

$1.68 COP 5,997

52.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 EC$12.19

$3.07 COP 11.0K

47.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.37 EC$9.10

$1.09 COP 3,906

209.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 EC$7.85

$1.26 COP 4,508

130.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$7.30 EC$19.71

$2.19 COP 7,827

233.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 EC$16.10

$4.40 COP 15.7K

35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 EC$24.88

$5.63 COP 20.1K

63.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.85 EC$64.4

$8.89 COP 31.8K

168.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 EC$8.69

$2.34 COP 8,349

37.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$4.55 EC$12.29

$1.38 COP 4,924

229.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 EC$6.15

$1.16 COP 4,155

96.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.30 EC$14.31

$0.89 COP 3,182

495.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$22.59 EC$61.0

$10.64 COP 38.0K

112.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 EC$11.68

$2.47 COP 8,824

75.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.87 EC$5.05

$0.86 COP 3,056

117.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$22.3K EC$60.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

22.86%

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

$16.6K EC$44.9K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

-37.27%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$40.93 EC$111

$9.50 COP 33.9K

330.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 EC$148

$25.89 COP 92.4K

111.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,270 EC$3,428

$838 COP 3.0M

51.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,289 EC$3,480

$724 COP 2.6M

78.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,307 EC$3,528

$512 COP 1.8M

155.35%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48.00 in Brades vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $188 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 40% 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.

Brades pays 155% more on average, 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 $723 per month in Brades versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 84% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $723 in Brades versus $1,013 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 $723 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 40% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.