Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Cuiaba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $825 in Cuiaba versus $1,003 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,246 in Cuiaba versus $1,573 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,668 in Cuiaba versus $2,143 in Medellin.

Living in Cuiaba costs roughly 18% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Cuiaba 38% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 R$18.00

$5.91 COP 18.9K

-40.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.84 R$91.3

$32.96 COP 105.2K

-45.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 R$32.05

$7.43 COP 23.7K

-15.75%

Cappuccino

$1.61 R$8.22

$1.65 COP 5,276

-2.42%

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

$1.00 R$5.10

$1.10 COP 3,514

-9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 R$3.31

$0.78 COP 2,491

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 R$6.51

$1.72 COP 5,484

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R$11.37

$3.18 COP 10.1K

-30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.46

$1.10 COP 3,521

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 R$7.56

$1.26 COP 4,015

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R$8.41

$1.38 COP 4,407

18.84%

Eggs

$3.23 R$16.54

$2.18 COP 6,950

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.34 R$58.0

$4.49 COP 14.3K

152.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 R$21.91

$5.79 COP 18.5K

-26.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 R$50.8

$8.97 COP 28.6K

10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.88

$2.32 COP 7,405

-8.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 R$9.03

$1.06 COP 3,397

66.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 R$9.37

$1.52 COP 4,838

20.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 R$11.71

$1.36 COP 4,327

68.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.10 R$10.73

$1.13 COP 3,599

85.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.87

$1.17 COP 3,738

31.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 R$3.63

$0.90 COP 2,876

-21.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 R$6.32

$0.90 COP 2,861

36.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.10 R$10.77

$2.23 COP 7,128

-5.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.02 R$51.3

$12.12 COP 38.7K

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 R$8.92

$1.19 COP 3,793

46.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R$11.16

$2.48 COP 7,920

-12.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.72

$0.85 COP 2,723

8.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.92 R$199

$41.62 COP 132.8K

-6.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.67

$1.42 COP 4,518

-21.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 R$3.68

$1.95 COP 6,223

-63.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.56 R$33.59

$7.89 COP 25.2K

-16.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 R$5.19

$0.99 COP 3,160

2.02%

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

$20.8K R$106.2K

$17.6K COP 56.2M

17.91%

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

$27.7K R$141.6K

$26.8K COP 85.5M

3.28%

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

$60.3 R$308

$83.0 COP 264.9K

-27.42%

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

$18.63 R$95.3

$9.70 COP 30.9K

92.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.02 R$118

$23.52 COP 75.0K

-2.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 R$117

$25.26 COP 80.6K

-9.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.13 R$103

$19.10 COP 60.9K

5.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.52 R$23.12

$3.95 COP 12.6K

14.43%

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

$243 R$1,245

$316 COP 1.0M

-22.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,229 R$26.8K

$5,975 COP 19.1M

-12.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 R$266

$60.0 COP 191.4K

-13.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.28 R$232

$31.82 COP 101.5K

42.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 R$715

$102 COP 324.4K

37.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.5 R$320

$107 COP 342.8K

-41.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 R$1,436

$475 COP 1.5M

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 R$976

$374 COP 1.2M

-49.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,909

$849 COP 2.7M

-33.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,602

$719 COP 2.3M

-56.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,244 R$6,366

$3,265 COP 10.4M

-61.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$790 R$4,042

$1,441 COP 4.6M

-45.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$419 R$2,146

$624 COP 2.0M

-32.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

13.43

37.75%

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

Last update for Cuiaba: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $281 in Cuiaba and $475 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 49% 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: $18.00 in Cuiaba vs $33.00 in Medellin. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $193, with Medellin 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

Cuiaba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cuiaba wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cuiaba the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 49% 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: $281 in Cuiaba versus $475 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cuiaba – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in Cuiaba versus $1,003 in Medellin – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in Cuiaba versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cuiaba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Cuiaba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cuiaba delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $825 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cuiaba hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Cuiaba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.