Cost of Living Comparison Between Imbituba and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Imbituba and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $784 in Imbituba versus $1,018 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,231 in Imbituba versus $1,609 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,678 in Imbituba versus $2,200 in Medellin.

Living in Imbituba costs roughly 23% less than in Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Imbituba 41% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 R$27.38

$5.93 COP 19.0K

-8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.50 R$139

$33.12 COP 106.0K

-16.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.48 R$32.78

$7.12 COP 22.8K

-8.99%

Cappuccino

$1.80 R$9.08

$1.71 COP 5,457

5.26%

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

$1.09 R$5.49

$1.05 COP 3,356

3.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.36

$0.72 COP 2,311

-8.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 R$8.93

$1.72 COP 5,502

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 R$13.74

$3.17 COP 10.2K

-14.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 R$4.71

$1.06 COP 3,408

-12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.63

$1.31 COP 4,192

15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.93

$1.33 COP 4,256

-12.03%

Eggs

$1.95 R$9.85

$2.28 COP 7,298

-14.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 R$40.75

$4.42 COP 14.1K

82.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 R$18.67

$5.92 COP 18.9K

-37.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 R$36.03

$8.64 COP 27.7K

-17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.80

$2.34 COP 7,504

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.54

$1.10 COP 3,527

17.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.05

$1.47 COP 4,698

-18.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 R$7.71

$1.38 COP 4,415

10.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.07

$1.17 COP 3,754

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 R$5.40

$1.17 COP 3,744

-8.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 R$3.79

$0.90 COP 2,890

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.18

$0.84 COP 2,693

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 R$10.69

$2.33 COP 7,449

-9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.63 R$48.71

$11.92 COP 38.1K

-19.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.41

$1.15 COP 3,673

10.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 R$10.06

$2.42 COP 7,749

-17.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R$4.46

$0.84 COP 2,687

4.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 R$197

$40.83 COP 130.7K

-4.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.62

$1.41 COP 4,517

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 R$3.75

$1.91 COP 6,127

-61.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 R$32.48

$7.83 COP 25.0K

-18.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.48

$0.94 COP 3,020

14.89%

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

$21.1K R$106.7K

$17.8K COP 57.0M

18.40%

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

$27.9K R$141.2K

$27.1K COP 86.7M

3.05%

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

$60.0 R$304

$83.3 COP 266.4K

-27.90%

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

$13.44 R$68.0

$9.66 COP 30.9K

39.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.51 R$93.6

$24.22 COP 77.5K

-23.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.28 R$113

$25.22 COP 80.7K

-11.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.21 R$107

$19.33 COP 61.9K

9.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 R$31.54

$4.07 COP 13.0K

53.07%

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

$272 R$1,374

$307 COP 981.2K

-11.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,589 R$33.3K

$5,981 COP 19.1M

10.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.40 R$250

$60.0 COP 191.9K

-17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.89 R$217

$32.65 COP 104.5K

31.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.1 R$380

$101 COP 323.5K

-25.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.4 R$321

$108 COP 345.7K

-41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$320 R$1,618

$476 COP 1.5M

-32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 R$1,094

$379 COP 1.2M

-42.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 R$2,975

$816 COP 2.6M

-27.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,181

$707 COP 2.3M

-39.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,619 R$8,191

$3,190 COP 10.2M

-49.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,203 R$6,087

$1,446 COP 4.6M

-16.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 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 Imbituba: July 20, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $320 in Imbituba and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Imbituba vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $192 per month, with Imbituba 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

Imbituba vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imbituba is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,177 in Imbituba and $1,527 in Medellin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $320 in Imbituba versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imbituba – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Imbituba versus $1,018 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imbituba but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Imbituba the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imbituba 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 Imbituba gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.