Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotia and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cotia and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $790 per month in Cotia vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,274 per month in Cotia vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,759 per month in Cotia vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Cotia is about 21% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Cotia and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Cotia 41% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.27 R$31.83

$5.91 COP 18.6K

6.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.79 R$166

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 R$36.24

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$1.82 R$9.22

$1.65 COP 5,207

10.30%

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

$1.19 R$6.03

$1.10 COP 3,468

8.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.32

$0.78 COP 2,458

8.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.26

$1.72 COP 5,412

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.45

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-10.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 R$5.21

$1.10 COP 3,474

-6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 R$7.88

$1.26 COP 3,962

23.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.62

$1.38 COP 4,349

-5.80%

Eggs

$2.41 R$12.21

$2.18 COP 6,858

10.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 R$41.04

$4.49 COP 14.1K

80.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.76 R$19.10

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-35.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 R$45.12

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-0.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 R$11.56

$2.32 COP 7,308

-1.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 R$8.81

$1.06 COP 3,352

64.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 R$7.21

$1.52 COP 4,774

-6.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.72

$1.36 COP 4,270

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 R$6.32

$1.13 COP 3,552

9.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.55

$1.17 COP 3,689

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 R$3.73

$0.90 COP 2,838

-17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.14

$0.90 COP 2,823

-31.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 R$13.06

$2.23 COP 7,034

15.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.52 R$43.23

$12.12 COP 38.2K

-29.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 R$6.87

$1.19 COP 3,743

13.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 R$11.81

$2.48 COP 7,815

-6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.41

$0.85 COP 2,687

2.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.07 R$198

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-6.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.91 R$4.63

$1.42 COP 4,459

-35.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.77

$1.95 COP 6,141

-62.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 R$42.66

$7.89 COP 24.8K

6.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$0.99 COP 3,118

6.06%

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

$21.8K R$110.9K

$17.6K COP 55.4M

24.12%

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

$27.9K R$141.8K

$26.8K COP 84.4M

4.28%

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

$46.66 R$237

$83.0 COP 261.4K

-43.79%

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

$13.07 R$66.3

$9.70 COP 30.5K

34.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 R$96.0

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-19.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.21 R$113

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-12.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.02 R$112

$19.10 COP 60.1K

15.29%

Cinema Ticket

$5.53 R$28.07

$3.95 COP 12.4K

40.00%

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

$315 R$1,598

$316 COP 994.2K

-0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,956 R$35.3K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

16.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R$260

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 R$214

$31.82 COP 100.2K

32.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 R$405

$102 COP 320.1K

-21.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.7 R$369

$107 COP 338.3K

-32.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 R$1,599

$475 COP 1.5M

-33.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$214 R$1,084

$374 COP 1.2M

-42.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 R$2,941

$849 COP 2.7M

-31.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 R$2,160

$719 COP 2.3M

-40.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,500 R$7,610

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-54.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,271 R$6,448

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-11.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.92

13.43

-18.69%

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

Last update for Cotia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $315 in Cotia versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Cotia versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $193 – making Cotia the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Cotia vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 27% more than Cotia, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,184 per month in Cotia and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cotia, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Cotia and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $790 in Cotia and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cotia, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Cotia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cotia costs $790 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cotia. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.