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: $791 in Imbituba versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,243 in Imbituba versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,695 in Imbituba versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Imbituba costs roughly 22% 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

$5.56 R$28.63

$5.99 COP 21.5K

-7.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.26 R$140

$32.86 COP 118.1K

-17.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R$31.50

$7.09 COP 25.5K

-13.82%

Cappuccino

$1.80 R$9.29

$1.71 COP 6,154

5.26%

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

$1.12 R$5.79

$1.10 COP 3,949

1.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.66 R$3.39

$0.78 COP 2,798

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 R$9.40

$1.68 COP 6,035

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.58

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-14.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R$5.14

$1.09 COP 3,930

-8.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 R$7.55

$1.26 COP 4,536

16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.15

$1.38 COP 4,953

-13.77%

Eggs

$1.96 R$10.10

$2.19 COP 7,876

-10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.45 R$43.51

$4.40 COP 15.8K

92.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.55 R$18.29

$5.63 COP 20.2K

-36.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 R$37.70

$8.89 COP 32.0K

-17.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 R$10.62

$2.34 COP 8,401

-11.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 R$6.49

$1.06 COP 3,801

18.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 R$6.11

$1.50 COP 5,408

-20.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.79

$1.38 COP 4,955

9.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 R$6.08

$1.15 COP 4,137

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.63

$1.16 COP 4,181

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 R$3.61

$0.89 COP 3,202

-21.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 R$3.14

$0.84 COP 3,016

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 R$10.68

$2.28 COP 8,196

-9.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.78 R$50.4

$10.64 COP 38.2K

-8.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 R$6.54

$1.20 COP 4,311

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 R$10.55

$2.47 COP 8,880

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 R$4.41

$0.86 COP 3,075

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.09 R$196

$41.40 COP 148.8K

-8.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R$5.68

$1.47 COP 5,297

-25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 R$3.90

$1.96 COP 7,053

-61.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.52 R$33.58

$7.74 COP 27.8K

-15.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 R$5.34

$0.95 COP 3,430

9.47%

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

$20.8K R$106.9K

$18.1K COP 65.2M

14.48%

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

$27.8K R$143.2K

$26.5K COP 95.2M

4.94%

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

$60.9 R$313

$82.3 COP 295.6K

-26.02%

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

$13.61 R$70.1

$9.50 COP 34.1K

43.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.11 R$98.4

$24.23 COP 87.1K

-21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.50 R$116

$25.89 COP 93.0K

-13.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.40 R$110

$19.00 COP 68.3K

12.63%

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 R$32.92

$3.93 COP 14.1K

62.60%

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

$273 R$1,406

$309 COP 1.1M

-11.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,479 R$33.4K

$5,965 COP 21.4M

8.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.30 R$254

$58.7 COP 210.8K

-15.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.04 R$217

$32.35 COP 116.2K

29.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 R$383

$103 COP 368.7K

-27.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.9 R$334

$108 COP 389.6K

-40.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$315 R$1,621

$476 COP 1.7M

-33.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$218 R$1,123

$379 COP 1.4M

-42.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 R$3,056

$838 COP 3.0M

-29.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$431 R$2,220

$724 COP 2.6M

-40.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,728 R$8,902

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-38.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,076 R$5,543

$1,211 COP 4.4M

-11.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $315 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 $188 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,186 in Imbituba and $1,519 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: $315 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 6% 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 $791 in Imbituba versus $1,013 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 28% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.