Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Castelo Branco and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,136 in Castelo Branco versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,704 in Castelo Branco versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,273 in Castelo Branco versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Castelo Branco is roughly 12% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 15% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.44 €9.84

$5.99 COP 21.4K

90.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.18 €35.43

$32.86 COP 117.4K

25.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.56 €8.22

$7.09 COP 25.3K

34.84%

Cappuccino

$1.38 €1.18

$1.71 COP 6,115

-19.30%

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

$1.70 €1.46

$1.10 COP 3,924

54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 €1.00

$0.78 COP 2,781

48.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 €1.24

$1.68 COP 5,997

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 €3.39

$3.07 COP 11.0K

28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.09 COP 3,906

-2.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 €1.04

$1.26 COP 4,508

-4.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.43

$1.38 COP 4,922

20.29%

Eggs

$2.92 €2.51

$2.19 COP 7,827

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 €7.76

$4.40 COP 15.7K

105.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.11 €4.39

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-9.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.25 €7.10

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-7.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$2.34 COP 8,349

-22.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 €1.12

$1.06 COP 3,777

22.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 €1.07

$1.50 COP 5,374

-17.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.51 €2.16

$1.38 COP 4,924

81.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 €0.91

$1.15 COP 4,111

-7.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 €1.49

$1.16 COP 4,155

50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 €1.11

$0.89 COP 3,182

44.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 €0.61

$0.84 COP 2,997

-15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.43 €5.53

$2.28 COP 8,145

182.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-67.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.20 COP 4,284

-34.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 €0.92

$2.47 COP 8,824

-56.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 €1.02

$0.86 COP 3,056

37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.85 €36.86

$41.40 COP 147.9K

3.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 €1.96

$1.47 COP 5,264

55.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.61

$1.96 COP 7,009

-63.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.29 €14.87

$7.74 COP 27.6K

123.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.63

$0.95 COP 3,409

100.00%

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

$34.2K €29.4K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

88.66%

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

$39.5K €34.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

49.09%

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

$98.0 €84.3

$82.3 COP 293.7K

19.12%

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

$22.17 €19.07

$9.50 COP 33.9K

133.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.39 €37.33

$24.23 COP 86.5K

79.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 €36.45

$25.89 COP 92.4K

63.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 €6.16

$3.93 COP 14.0K

82.19%

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

$647 €557

$309 COP 1.1M

109.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K €14.0K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

172.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 €50.3

$58.7 COP 209.5K

-0.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.4 €58.0

$32.35 COP 115.5K

108.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 €63.2

$103 COP 366.4K

-28.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.8 €50.6

$108 COP 387.2K

-45.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$520 €447

$476 COP 1.7M

9.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 €328

$379 COP 1.4M

0.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$695 €598

$838 COP 3.0M

-17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$637 €548

$724 COP 2.6M

-12.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,661 €1,429

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-40.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 €1,211

$1,211 COP 4.3M

16.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,658 €1,426

$512 COP 1.8M

223.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.43

13.43

-59.57%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $520 in Castelo Branco and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 224% 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: $41.00 in Castelo Branco vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $188, with Castelo Branco 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

Castelo Branco vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Castelo Branco pays 224% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $520 in Castelo Branco versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,136 per month in Castelo Branco versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 4% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,136 in Castelo Branco, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Castelo Branco. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Castelo Branco 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 Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.