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: $679 in Criciuma versus $1,014 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,003 in Criciuma versus $1,596 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,328 in Criciuma versus $2,178 in Medellin.

Living in Criciuma costs roughly 33% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Criciuma 50% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.84 R$24.10

$6.14 COP 22.2K

-21.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.99 R$110

$33.05 COP 119.3K

-33.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 R$26.28

$7.32 COP 26.4K

-27.87%

Cappuccino

$1.25 R$6.22

$1.66 COP 5,987

-24.70%

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

$0.85 R$4.25

$1.10 COP 3,987

-22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 R$2.85

$0.78 COP 2,822

-26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 R$8.17

$1.71 COP 6,188

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 R$7.52

$3.17 COP 11.5K

-52.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 R$4.29

$1.11 COP 4,012

-22.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R$6.41

$1.31 COP 4,719

-1.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.86

$1.38 COP 4,980

-28.99%

Eggs

$1.77 R$8.82

$2.22 COP 8,009

-20.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 R$39.71

$4.34 COP 15.7K

83.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 R$15.96

$5.80 COP 20.9K

-44.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.84 R$34.06

$8.98 COP 32.4K

-23.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 R$9.26

$2.26 COP 8,164

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.46

$1.11 COP 4,023

-18.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 R$4.21

$1.46 COP 5,284

-41.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.25

$1.37 COP 4,929

-8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 R$4.89

$1.11 COP 4,009

-11.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 R$5.08

$1.16 COP 4,199

-12.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.48

$0.89 COP 3,211

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.12

$0.87 COP 3,124

-27.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 R$12.67

$2.35 COP 8,495

8.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.91 R$24.45

$10.86 COP 39.2K

-54.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 R$5.13

$1.20 COP 4,330

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.24

$2.48 COP 8,946

-49.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.34

$0.79 COP 2,842

10.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.00 R$159

$40.77 COP 147.2K

-21.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.42 R$2.08

$1.42 COP 5,137

-70.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 R$5.06

$1.91 COP 6,900

-46.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 R$10.60

$7.65 COP 27.6K

-72.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.43

$0.97 COP 3,490

12.37%

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

$19.9K R$99.1K

$18.1K COP 65.3M

9.91%

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

$25.6K R$127.3K

$26.3K COP 95.0M

-2.85%

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

$58.4 R$291

$81.3 COP 293.5K

-28.15%

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

$14.10 R$70.2

$9.63 COP 34.8K

46.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.81 R$104

$24.36 COP 88.0K

-14.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.92 R$124

$26.02 COP 93.9K

-4.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.63 R$108

$18.92 COP 68.3K

14.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 R$39.05

$3.89 COP 14.0K

101.54%

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

$126 R$628

$304 COP 1.1M

-58.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,500 R$7,469

$5,902 COP 21.3M

-74.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.63 R$123

$58.7 COP 211.8K

-58.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.13 R$150

$32.48 COP 117.2K

-7.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 R$339

$102 COP 367.3K

-33.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.62 R$157

$108 COP 390.4K

-70.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,101

$474 COP 1.7M

-53.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$198 R$985

$371 COP 1.3M

-46.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$296 R$1,475

$848 COP 3.1M

-65.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 R$1,228

$716 COP 2.6M

-65.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,189 R$5,921

$2,871 COP 10.4M

-58.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$641 R$3,195

$1,375 COP 5.0M

-53.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$320 R$1,595

$542 COP 2.0M

-40.84%

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: April 14, 2026

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Criciuma and $474 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% 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: $22 in Criciuma vs $33 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $190 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 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Medellin earns 69% less. 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: $221 in Criciuma versus $474 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 $126 in Criciuma versus $304 in Medellin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $679 in Criciuma versus $1,014 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 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.