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: $1,102 in Castelo Branco versus $1,031 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,702 in Castelo Branco versus $1,599 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,303 in Castelo Branco versus $2,167 in Medellin.

Living in Castelo Branco is roughly 7% more expensive than in Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Castelo Branco 18% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.59 €10.14

$6.16 COP 20.1K

88.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.01 €35.01

$32.60 COP 106.1K

22.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 €8.47

$7.34 COP 23.9K

32.02%

Cappuccino

$1.38 €1.20

$1.72 COP 5,600

-19.77%

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

$1.72 €1.51

$1.05 COP 3,420

63.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 €0.98

$0.77 COP 2,515

45.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 €1.25

$1.69 COP 5,488

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 €3.60

$3.17 COP 10.3K

29.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 €0.93

$1.05 COP 3,423

0.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 €1.10

$1.30 COP 4,236

-3.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 €1.45

$1.40 COP 4,544

18.57%

Eggs

$2.77 €2.42

$2.16 COP 7,047

28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 €8.08

$4.39 COP 14.3K

110.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.90 €4.29

$5.88 COP 19.1K

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 €7.42

$8.64 COP 28.1K

-1.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 €1.61

$2.28 COP 7,426

-19.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 €1.18

$1.11 COP 3,604

21.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 €1.08

$1.53 COP 4,983

-18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.22

$1.35 COP 4,410

88.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 €0.89

$1.13 COP 3,674

-10.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 €1.46

$1.13 COP 3,692

47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 €1.09

$0.85 COP 2,753

45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$0.91 COP 2,975

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 €5.81

$2.34 COP 7,630

183.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.44 €3.01

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-72.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.20 COP 3,909

-30.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 €0.93

$2.49 COP 8,104

-57.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 €1.03

$0.84 COP 2,728

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.77 €36.54

$40.57 COP 132.1K

2.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.30 €2.01

$1.42 COP 4,623

61.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 €0.62

$1.92 COP 6,235

-63.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.38 €15.21

$7.66 COP 24.9K

126.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.74

$0.99 COP 3,223

100.00%

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

$35.2K €30.8K

$18.0K COP 58.7M

95.15%

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

$39.5K €34.6K

$26.6K COP 86.7M

48.44%

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

$98.7 €86.3

$80.8 COP 263.1K

22.10%

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

$21.98 €19.23

$9.95 COP 32.4K

120.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.18 €37.78

$24.18 COP 78.7K

78.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 €37.19

$25.08 COP 81.7K

69.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 €6.54

$3.98 COP 13.0K

87.94%

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

$627 €548

$305 COP 993.5K

105.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K €14.0K

$6,059 COP 19.7M

164.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 €50.3

$58.1 COP 189.2K

-1.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.3 €58.9

$32.20 COP 104.8K

109.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 €63.5

$101 COP 327.9K

-27.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.6 €50.4

$108 COP 350.8K

-46.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 €448

$477 COP 1.6M

7.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 €335

$376 COP 1.2M

1.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 €613

$845 COP 2.7M

-17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 €567

$730 COP 2.4M

-11.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,617 €1,414

$3,215 COP 10.5M

-49.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,380 €1,208

$1,372 COP 4.5M

0.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,627 €1,424

$617 COP 2.0M

163.83%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Castelo Branco and $477 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Castelo Branco pays 164% 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: $40.00 in Castelo Branco vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $186 vs $193, 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 164% 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: $512 in Castelo Branco versus $477 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,102 per month in Castelo Branco versus $1,031 in Medellin – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 3% less than in Castelo Branco. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,031 in Medellin versus $1,102 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 7% less than in Castelo Branco. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.