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: $1,155 in Castelo Branco versus $1,716 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,754 in Castelo Branco versus $2,527 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,354 in Castelo Branco versus $3,338 in Medellin.

Living in Castelo Branco costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Castelo Branco is 16% below, Medellin is 25% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.46 €9.85

$8.03 COP 25.2K

42.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.39 €34.73

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-16.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 €8.47

$9.77 COP 30.7K

0.92%

Cappuccino

$1.34 €1.15

$2.91 COP 9,149

-53.95%

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

$1.41 €1.22

$1.94 COP 6,110

-27.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.52 COP 4,783

-16.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 €0.97

$3.09 COP 9,721

-63.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-58.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 €1.05

$1.36 COP 4,287

-10.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 €1.14

$2.39 COP 7,505

-44.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 €1.29

$1.70 COP 5,346

-11.76%

Eggs

$4.05 €3.49

$2.87 COP 9,021

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 €8.18

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-4.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.05 €5.20

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-43.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.00 €7.74

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-38.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 €1.89

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-46.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 €1.14

$1.57 COP 4,940

-15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 €1.59

$2.13 COP 6,682

-13.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 €2.08

$2.21 COP 6,959

9.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.73 €1.48

$2.05 COP 6,435

-15.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 €1.34

$1.50 COP 4,728

4.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 €1.06

$1.19 COP 3,740

3.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 €0.70

$1.16 COP 3,640

-30.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.08 €5.23

$3.90 COP 12.2K

55.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.46 €2.98

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-76.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 €1.04

$1.58 COP 4,978

-23.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 €1.73

$2.83 COP 8,889

-28.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.17 COP 3,672

12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.05 €19.81

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-70.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.39 €2.05

$1.28 COP 4,038

86.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.83 €0.72

$2.09 COP 6,576

-60.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.52 €15.06

$8.62 COP 27.1K

103.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.19 €1.88

$1.30 COP 4,080

68.46%

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

$34.8K €30.0K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

25.98%

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

$42.4K €36.4K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

19.40%

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

$125 €107

$176 COP 553.4K

-29.19%

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

$19.42 €16.70

$13.37 COP 42.0K

45.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.33 €29.51

$29.89 COP 94.0K

14.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.88 €34.28

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-10.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$7.17 €6.17

$6.20 COP 19.5K

15.65%

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

$705 €606

$793 COP 2.5M

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K €15.3K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

96.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 €69.8

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.36

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-19.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.2 €73.2

$136 COP 428.4K

-37.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.2 €59.5

$103 COP 324.1K

-32.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 €410

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-54.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 €330

$680 COP 2.1M

-43.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 €729

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-57.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €557

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-44.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,643 €1,412

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-60.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,410 €1,213

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-17.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,695 €1,457

$665 COP 2.1M

154.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

10.94

-65.36%

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

Last update for Castelo Branco: August 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Castelo Branco and $1,060 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco 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: $40.00 in Castelo Branco vs $48.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $212 vs $303 per month, with Castelo Branco 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

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

Castelo Branco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 155% higher in Castelo Branco, 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: $477 in Castelo Branco versus $1,060 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,155 per month in Castelo Branco versus $1,716 in Medellin – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Castelo Branco runs roughly 237% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,155 in Castelo Branco versus $1,716 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Castelo Branco but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Castelo Branco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Castelo Branco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, 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 Castelo Branco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.