Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Governador Valadares and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Governador Valadares: $672 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

33

Cost of Living Index in Governador Valadares
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Governador Valadares Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index

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Governador Valadares

🇧🇷 Brazil

$672

/mo nomad

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,639

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Governador Valadares 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 Governador Valadares and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $672 in Governador Valadares versus $1,639 in Medellin.

Governador Valadares $672
Medellin $1,639

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,092 in Governador Valadares versus $2,413 in Medellin.

Governador Valadares $1,092
Medellin $2,413

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,511 in Governador Valadares versus $3,186 in Medellin.

Governador Valadares $1,511
Medellin $3,186

Living in Governador Valadares costs roughly 59% less than in Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Governador Valadares is 51% below, Medellin is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 R$24.37

$8.09 COP 25.6K

-43.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.77 R$138

$47.05 COP 148.9K

-45.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.40 R$44.93

$9.50 COP 30.1K

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$2.02 R$10.83

$3.01 COP 9,540

-32.89%

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

$1.02 R$5.45

$1.80 COP 5,693

-43.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 R$1.91

$1.41 COP 4,469

-74.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 R$8.04

$3.18 COP 10.0K

-52.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 R$11.68

$5.75 COP 18.2K

-62.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 R$4.51

$1.51 COP 4,778

-44.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 R$7.58

$2.38 COP 7,524

-40.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R$9.08

$1.77 COP 5,606

-3.95%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.79

$2.89 COP 9,146

-30.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.46 R$39.87

$10.19 COP 32.2K

-26.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 R$19.44

$9.87 COP 31.2K

-63.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.92 R$31.64

$13.99 COP 44.3K

-57.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 R$9.68

$3.97 COP 12.6K

-54.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 R$6.05

$1.55 COP 4,911

-27.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 R$6.26

$2.18 COP 6,907

-46.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.95

$2.18 COP 6,910

-31.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.41

$1.96 COP 6,210

-48.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.73

$1.59 COP 5,029

-44.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$4.04

$1.15 COP 3,625

-33.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 R$4.08

$1.24 COP 3,934

-38.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.11 R$5.91

$3.96 COP 12.5K

-71.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.22 R$33.23

$13.68 COP 43.3K

-54.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R$6.66

$1.66 COP 5,252

-24.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$13.40

$2.26 COP 7,145

11.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.70

$1.17 COP 3,696

-24.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 R$149

$77.4 COP 244.8K

-63.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 R$4.75

$1.27 COP 4,013

-29.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.68 R$3.61

$2.05 COP 6,480

-66.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 R$31.26

$8.55 COP 27.1K

-31.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.78

$1.35 COP 4,262

-20.00%

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

$21.8K R$116.4K

$34.1K COP 107.8M

-36.11%

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

$25.4K R$135.8K

$34.7K COP 109.7M

-26.72%

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

$47.30 R$253

$170 COP 536.8K

-72.12%

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

$7.27 R$38.87

$13.55 COP 42.9K

-46.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.63 R$105

$28.07 COP 88.8K

-30.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.36 R$120

$43.70 COP 138.3K

-48.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.27 R$151

$17.19 COP 54.4K

64.46%

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 R$40.65

$6.91 COP 21.9K

9.99%

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

$113 R$603

$797 COP 2.5M

-85.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.0K R$69.3K

$9,112 COP 28.8M

42.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.98 R$112

$84.7 COP 268.1K

-75.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.76 R$202

$58.0 COP 183.4K

-34.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 R$488

$135 COP 427.1K

-32.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$66.2 R$354

$97.9 COP 309.7K

-32.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$225 R$1,202

$1,208 COP 3.8M

-81.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$160 R$854

$642 COP 2.0M

-75.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$410 R$2,190

$2,028 COP 6.4M

-79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$332 R$1,776

$1,012 COP 3.2M

-67.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,281 R$6,848

$4,170 COP 13.2M

-69.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,410 R$7,536

$1,910 COP 6.0M

-26.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$334 R$1,786

$657 COP 2.1M

-49.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

10.94

2.83%

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

Last update for Governador Valadares: October 25, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Governador Valadares

$164 24.5%

Medellin

$297 18.1% 80.6% $133

Accommodation & Living

Governador Valadares

$160 23.8%

Medellin

$642 39.1% 302% $482

Eating Out

Governador Valadares

$103 15.4%

Medellin

$170 10.4% 64.1% $66

Clothing & Footwear

Governador Valadares

$97 14.5%

Medellin

$169 10.3% 73.8% $72

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Governador Valadares

$74 11%

Medellin

$211 12.9% 185% $137

Sport & Entertainment

Governador Valadares

$38 5.6%

Medellin

$58 3.5% 53.2% $20

Getting Around

Governador Valadares

$36 5.3%

Medellin

$94 5.7% 163% $58

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $225 in Governador Valadares and $1,208 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 97% 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: $26 in Governador Valadares vs $47 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $164 vs $297 per month, with Governador Valadares cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇧🇷 Governador Valadares

🇨🇴 Medellin

🕒 Local time

00:31 12:31 AM

22:31 10:31 PM

2 h behind Governador Valadares

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

257,171

2,486,723

💱 Currency

Brazilian Real BRL R$

Colombian Peso COP $

📈 Exchange rate

1 BRL = 0.187 USD

1 BRL = 0.168 EUR

10,000 COP = 3.16 USD

10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇧🇷 Brazilian Real (R$)

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3,164 COP (10,000 COP = 3.16 USD). 1 EUR = 3,523 COP (10,000 COP = 2.84 EUR).

USD to BRL in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Governador Valadares Medellin 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Governador Valadares
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

Governador Valadares vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Governador Valadares is about 59% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 49% lower in Governador Valadares. 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: $225 in Governador Valadares versus $1,208 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Governador Valadares – a meal for two runs $26 versus $47 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $672 in Governador Valadares versus $1,639 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Governador Valadares but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Governador Valadares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Governador Valadares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.