Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cabo Frio and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $849 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,028 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,317 per month in Cabo Frio vs $1,586 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,785 per month in Cabo Frio vs $2,144 in Medellin, rent included.

Cabo Frio is about 17% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cabo Frio and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cabo Frio 36% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.03 R$35.75

$6.00 COP 20.6K

17.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.64 R$146

$32.84 COP 112.5K

-12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.14 R$31.24

$7.42 COP 25.4K

-17.25%

Cappuccino

$1.98 R$10.09

$1.65 COP 5,659

20.00%

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

$1.28 R$6.49

$1.07 COP 3,663

19.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 R$2.64

$0.76 COP 2,607

-31.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.96

$1.72 COP 5,908

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 R$13.95

$3.20 COP 11.0K

-14.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 R$5.69

$1.05 COP 3,597

6.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.72 R$8.74

$1.31 COP 4,479

31.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 R$7.49

$1.34 COP 4,591

9.70%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.27

$2.19 COP 7,521

-7.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.76 R$39.46

$4.41 COP 15.1K

75.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 R$18.37

$5.69 COP 19.5K

-36.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.30 R$42.25

$8.52 COP 29.2K

-2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 R$12.25

$2.34 COP 8,023

2.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$8.03

$1.11 COP 3,804

42.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 R$7.35

$1.52 COP 5,210

-5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.65

$1.37 COP 4,680

9.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.32

$1.15 COP 3,950

7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.88

$1.18 COP 4,043

-2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.52

$0.84 COP 2,885

-17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.12

$0.86 COP 2,931

-29.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 R$9.99

$2.26 COP 7,753

-13.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.02 R$30.61

$11.60 COP 39.8K

-48.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.16

$1.20 COP 4,109

0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 R$10.46

$2.48 COP 8,484

-16.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 R$5.95

$0.79 COP 2,721

48.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.08 R$194

$40.83 COP 139.9K

-6.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.47 COP 5,023

-26.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.51

$1.92 COP 6,568

-64.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 R$39.49

$7.77 COP 26.6K

-0.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.62

$1.01 COP 3,464

8.91%

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

$20.5K R$104.2K

$17.7K COP 60.5M

16.02%

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

$27.7K R$141.1K

$26.5K COP 90.7M

4.81%

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

$101 R$515

$81.1 COP 277.9K

24.77%

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

$12.04 R$61.3

$9.43 COP 32.3K

27.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 R$94.3

$23.86 COP 81.8K

-22.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.76 R$116

$25.99 COP 89.1K

-12.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.92 R$112

$18.71 COP 64.1K

17.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.55 R$33.30

$4.09 COP 14.0K

60.15%

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

$544 R$2,770

$315 COP 1.1M

73.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K R$57.9K

$6,022 COP 20.6M

89.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.98 R$229

$59.7 COP 204.6K

-24.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 R$208

$31.97 COP 109.6K

27.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 R$381

$101 COP 346.9K

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.1 R$316

$105 COP 360.3K

-40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 R$1,577

$485 COP 1.7M

-36.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$219 R$1,114

$365 COP 1.3M

-40.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 R$2,921

$827 COP 2.8M

-30.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 R$2,198

$730 COP 2.5M

-40.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,729 R$8,794

$2,992 COP 10.3M

-42.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 R$5,443

$1,314 COP 4.5M

-18.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$276 R$1,403

$551 COP 1.9M

-49.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.43

-15.64%

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

Last update for Cabo Frio: June 15, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $310 in Cabo Frio versus $485 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 100% higher in Medellin, 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $190 – making Cabo Frio 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

Cabo Frio vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,273 per month in Cabo Frio and $1,542 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $849 in Cabo Frio and $1,028 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

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

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $849, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. 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.