Cost of Living Comparison Between Criciuma and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Criciuma and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $691 in Criciuma versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,018 in Criciuma versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,345 in Criciuma versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 32% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 48% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 R$24.63

$5.93 COP 19.1K

-18.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.28 R$108

$33.12 COP 106.4K

-35.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 R$25.87

$7.12 COP 22.9K

-28.37%

Cappuccino

$1.24 R$6.31

$1.71 COP 5,480

-27.49%

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

$0.88 R$4.47

$1.05 COP 3,370

-16.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.88

$0.72 COP 2,321

-20.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.66 R$8.40

$1.72 COP 5,524

-3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 R$7.98

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-50.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 R$4.20

$1.06 COP 3,422

-21.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 R$6.46

$1.31 COP 4,209

-3.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 R$4.60

$1.33 COP 4,273

-31.58%

Eggs

$1.77 R$8.99

$2.28 COP 7,328

-22.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 R$39.01

$4.42 COP 14.2K

73.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.29 R$16.69

$5.92 COP 19.0K

-44.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.72 R$34.10

$8.64 COP 27.8K

-22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 R$9.33

$2.34 COP 7,535

-21.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 R$4.17

$1.10 COP 3,541

-25.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 R$4.61

$1.47 COP 4,718

-38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 R$6.69

$1.38 COP 4,433

-4.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.99 R$5.04

$1.17 COP 3,769

-15.38%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.98

$1.17 COP 3,760

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.59

$0.90 COP 2,902

-21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 R$3.01

$0.84 COP 2,704

-29.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 R$13.05

$2.33 COP 7,480

10.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.89 R$24.81

$11.92 COP 38.3K

-58.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 R$5.44

$1.15 COP 3,688

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 R$6.63

$2.42 COP 7,780

-45.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.34

$0.84 COP 2,698

2.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.05 R$163

$40.83 COP 131.2K

-21.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 R$2.12

$1.41 COP 4,535

-70.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.91 COP 6,152

-45.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 R$11.22

$7.83 COP 25.1K

-71.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.54

$0.94 COP 3,033

15.96%

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

$20.4K R$103.3K

$17.8K COP 57.3M

14.31%

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

$25.3K R$128.5K

$27.1K COP 87.0M

-6.51%

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

$57.9 R$294

$83.3 COP 267.5K

-30.45%

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

$13.66 R$69.3

$9.66 COP 31.0K

41.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.99 R$106

$24.22 COP 77.8K

-13.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.79 R$126

$25.22 COP 81.1K

-1.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.86 R$111

$19.33 COP 62.1K

13.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 R$39.41

$4.07 COP 13.1K

90.91%

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

$125 R$636

$307 COP 985.2K

-59.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,503 R$7,626

$5,981 COP 19.2M

-74.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.52 R$124

$60.0 COP 192.6K

-59.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.38 R$149

$32.65 COP 104.9K

-10.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 R$349

$101 COP 324.8K

-32.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.32 R$159

$108 COP 347.2K

-71.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,108

$476 COP 1.5M

-54.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 R$993

$379 COP 1.2M

-48.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 R$1,491

$816 COP 2.6M

-64.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$246 R$1,248

$707 COP 2.3M

-65.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,186 R$6,019

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-62.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$639 R$3,244

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-55.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$309 R$1,567

$622 COP 2.0M

-50.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.4

13.43

-37.45%

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

Last update for Criciuma: July 21, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $218 in Criciuma and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 101% 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: $21.00 in Criciuma vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $192 per month, with Criciuma 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

Criciuma vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 101% lower in Medellin. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $218 in Criciuma versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 27% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $125 in Criciuma versus $307 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $691 in Criciuma versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma 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.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.