Cost of Living Comparison Between Caruaru and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Caruaru and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $568 in Caruaru versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $932 in Caruaru versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,297 in Caruaru versus $2,188 in Medellin.

Living in Caruaru costs roughly 44% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Caruaru 58% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 R$23.89

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-20.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 R$136

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-19.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.17 R$31.25

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-14.66%

Cappuccino

$1.67 R$8.43

$1.63 COP 5,687

2.45%

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

$1.00 R$5.04

$1.09 COP 3,821

-8.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 R$1.89

$0.73 COP 2,548

-49.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.74 COP 6,065

-36.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 R$7.40

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-54.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 R$5.92

$1.05 COP 3,662

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 R$5.19

$1.29 COP 4,515

-20.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 R$4.42

$1.32 COP 4,617

-34.09%

Eggs

$2.44 R$12.33

$2.27 COP 7,927

7.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.57 R$18.05

$4.35 COP 15.2K

-17.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.67 R$13.50

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-54.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.20 R$31.37

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$2.25 COP 7,844

-42.67%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.54

$1.07 COP 3,733

-15.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 R$3.90

$1.52 COP 5,322

-49.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 R$5.20

$1.42 COP 4,964

-27.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.21

$1.17 COP 4,084

-29.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 R$4.21

$1.17 COP 4,077

-29.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 R$1.73

$0.89 COP 3,096

-61.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 R$2.80

$0.90 COP 3,146

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 R$13.74

$2.25 COP 7,837

20.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.83 R$14.34

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-74.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 R$7.31

$1.14 COP 3,977

26.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$14.90

$2.38 COP 8,301

23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 R$4.26

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.61 R$125

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-41.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 R$9.18

$1.41 COP 4,912

28.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 R$3.21

$1.90 COP 6,634

-66.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.72 R$13.75

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-64.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 R$3.84

$1.01 COP 3,509

-24.75%

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

$18.7K R$94.7K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

6.40%

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

$28.9K R$146.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

9.01%

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

$51.2 R$259

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-38.86%

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

$7.24 R$36.65

$9.45 COP 33.0K

-23.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.88 R$44.95

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-63.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.32 R$67.5

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-47.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.43 R$139

$19.14 COP 66.8K

43.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 R$32.56

$4.10 COP 14.3K

56.83%

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

$98.2 R$497

$312 COP 1.1M

-68.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,335 R$32.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

5.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.14 R$178

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-39.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.96 R$228

$32.56 COP 113.6K

38.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 R$556

$99.6 COP 347.7K

10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.0 R$299

$109 COP 378.8K

-45.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$150 R$761

$482 COP 1.7M

-68.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$115 R$582

$379 COP 1.3M

-69.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 R$1,647

$837 COP 2.9M

-61.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 R$1,201

$723 COP 2.5M

-67.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,374 R$6,954

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-51.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,291 R$6,533

$1,223 COP 4.3M

5.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$259 R$1,309

$541 COP 1.9M

-52.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-25.54%

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

Last update for Caruaru: June 8, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $150 in Caruaru and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 109% 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: $27.00 in Caruaru vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $129 vs $190 per month, with Caruaru 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

Caruaru vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Caruaru and Medellin differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($568 vs $1,017 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Medellin earns 109% less. 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: $150 in Caruaru versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.2 in Caruaru versus $312 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $568 in Caruaru versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Caruaru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Caruaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Caruaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.