Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Catanduva and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Catanduva: $849 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Catanduva, Brazil
Medellin, Colombia
Catanduva
🇧🇷 Brazil
$849
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Catanduva and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Catanduva and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $849 in Catanduva versus $1,639 in Medellin.

  • Catanduva $849
  • Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,382 in Catanduva versus $2,413 in Medellin.

  • Catanduva $1,382
  • Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,915 in Catanduva versus $3,186 in Medellin.

  • Catanduva $1,915
  • Medellin $3,186

Living in Catanduva costs roughly 48% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Catanduva is 38% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.89 R$47.56
$8.09 COP 25.4K
9.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.43 R$179
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-28.95%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.25 R$44.13
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-13.16%
Cappuccino
$2.16 R$11.55
$3.01 COP 9,485
-28.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.39
$1.80 COP 5,660
-33.89%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 R$4.36
$1.41 COP 4,443
-41.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.20 R$11.79
$3.18 COP 9,990
-30.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 R$19.49
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-36.70%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 R$5.33
$1.51 COP 4,751
-33.77%
White Bread (500g)
$1.94 R$10.38
$2.38 COP 7,480
-18.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.61
$1.77 COP 5,573
-30.51%
Eggs
$1.84 R$9.85
$2.89 COP 9,093
-36.33%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.01 R$53.6
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-1.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.50 R$24.11
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-54.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.98 R$53.4
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-28.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.15 R$11.52
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-45.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 R$7.16
$1.55 COP 4,883
-13.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.47 R$7.85
$2.18 COP 6,867
-32.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.71 R$3.81
$2.18 COP 6,870
-67.43%
Potato (1kg)
$0.97 R$5.20
$1.96 COP 6,174
-50.51%
Onion (1kg)
$0.90 R$4.84
$1.59 COP 5,000
-43.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 R$4.57
$1.15 COP 3,604
-26.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 R$4.36
$1.24 COP 3,911
-33.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 R$12.29
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-41.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.64 R$40.87
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-44.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 R$7.78
$1.66 COP 5,222
-12.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44 R$13.07
$2.26 COP 7,104
7.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.98 R$5.24
$1.17 COP 3,674
-16.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$42.09 R$225
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-45.60%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.14 R$6.09
$1.27 COP 3,989
-10.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.71 R$3.80
$2.05 COP 6,442
-65.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.10 R$43.35
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-5.26%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.09 R$5.81
$1.35 COP 4,237
-19.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K R$115.6K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-36.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.4K R$167.9K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-9.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.4 R$323
$170 COP 533.7K
-64.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.55 R$35.06
$13.55 COP 42.6K
-51.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.06 R$91.3
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-39.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.42 R$131
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-44.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.61 R$148
$17.19 COP 54.1K
60.62%
Cinema Ticket
$6.56 R$35.12
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-5.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$406 R$2,174
$797 COP 2.5M
-49.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K R$54.5K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
11.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.9 R$294
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-35.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.64 R$201
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-35.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 R$452
$135 COP 424.6K
-37.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.9 R$294
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-43.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$386 R$2,066
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-68.04%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$227 R$1,214
$642 COP 2.0M
-64.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 R$3,352
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-69.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$469 R$2,508
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-53.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,578 R$8,446
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-62.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,083 R$5,794
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-43.32%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Catanduva
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$657 COP 2.1M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.81
10.94
-1.19%

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

Last update for Catanduva: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Catanduva
$227
Medellin
$642 183% $415
Groceries & Markets
Catanduva
$198
Medellin
$297 50.2% $99
Eating Out
Catanduva
$148
Medellin
$170 14.5% $22
Clothing & Footwear
Catanduva
$104
Medellin
$169 61.9% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Catanduva
$84
Medellin
$211 152% $127
Getting Around
Catanduva
$51
Medellin
$94 84.5% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Catanduva
$38
Medellin
$58 53.2% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $386 in Catanduva and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Catanduva vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $297 per month, with Catanduva cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Catanduva
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
11:04 11:04 AM
09:04 9:04 AM
2 h behind Catanduva
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
115,791
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.96 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,501 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Catanduva Medellin 4,210 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Catanduva
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Catanduva vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Catanduva and in Medellin?
Catanduva and Medellin differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($849 vs $1,639 including rent). Catanduva is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Catanduva compared to Medellin?
You’d need roughly $1,274 in Catanduva and $2,459 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Catanduva and in Medellin?
Rent for a central apartment: $386 in Catanduva versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Catanduva – a meal for two runs $33 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $849 in Catanduva versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Catanduva but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Catanduva the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Catanduva and Medellin?
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.
Where should expats move: Catanduva or Medellin?
Expats usually find Catanduva gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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