Cost of Living Comparison Between Imperatriz and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Imperatriz and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $779 in Imperatriz versus $1,017 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in Imperatriz versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Imperatriz versus $2,188 in Medellin.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Imperatriz 42% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 R$27.57

$5.95 COP 20.8K

-8.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.60 R$135

$33.33 COP 116.3K

-20.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 R$32.26

$7.23 COP 25.2K

-11.89%

Cappuccino

$1.81 R$9.14

$1.63 COP 5,687

11.04%

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

$1.13 R$5.72

$1.09 COP 3,821

3.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.43 R$2.17

$0.73 COP 2,548

-41.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 R$9.17

$1.74 COP 6,065

4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 R$13.39

$3.23 COP 11.3K

-18.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 R$4.80

$1.05 COP 3,662

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 R$7.71

$1.29 COP 4,515

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 R$5.93

$1.32 COP 4,617

-11.36%

Eggs

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.27 COP 7,927

-13.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.12 R$41.11

$4.35 COP 15.2K

86.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.32

$5.88 COP 20.5K

-38.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 R$36.41

$8.61 COP 30.0K

-16.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 R$10.48

$2.25 COP 7,844

-8.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.07 COP 3,733

21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 R$5.98

$1.52 COP 5,322

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.33

$1.42 COP 4,964

2.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.87

$1.17 COP 4,084

-0.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.37

$1.17 COP 4,077

-9.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 R$3.48

$0.89 COP 3,096

-22.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 R$3.38

$0.90 COP 3,146

-25.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.01

$2.25 COP 7,837

-3.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.70 R$38.97

$11.04 COP 38.5K

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 R$6.40

$1.14 COP 3,977

10.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 R$10.01

$2.38 COP 8,301

-16.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.93 R$4.69

$0.84 COP 2,916

10.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.11 R$198

$41.95 COP 146.4K

-6.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 R$5.36

$1.41 COP 4,912

-24.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.57

$1.90 COP 6,634

-62.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.55 R$33.18

$7.75 COP 27.0K

-15.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 R$5.51

$1.01 COP 3,509

7.92%

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

$20.9K R$105.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

18.60%

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

$27.8K R$140.8K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

4.99%

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

$60.4 R$306

$83.7 COP 292.1K

-27.77%

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

$13.68 R$69.3

$9.45 COP 33.0K

44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.56 R$93.9

$24.11 COP 84.1K

-23.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 R$115

$25.31 COP 88.3K

-10.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.65 R$110

$19.14 COP 66.8K

13.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 R$31.39

$4.10 COP 14.3K

51.22%

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

$274 R$1,387

$312 COP 1.1M

-12.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,364 R$32.2K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.61 R$246

$58.0 COP 202.6K

-16.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.89 R$212

$32.56 COP 113.6K

28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 R$391

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-22.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 R$331

$109 COP 378.8K

-39.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 R$1,591

$482 COP 1.7M

-34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$217 R$1,097

$379 COP 1.3M

-42.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 R$2,967

$837 COP 2.9M

-30.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 R$2,198

$723 COP 2.5M

-39.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,649 R$8,349

$2,840 COP 9.9M

-41.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,205 R$6,101

$1,223 COP 4.3M

-1.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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 Imperatriz: June 9, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Imperatriz and $482 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Imperatriz vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $190 per month, with Imperatriz 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

Imperatriz vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imperatriz 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 $1,169 in Imperatriz and $1,525 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: $314 in Imperatriz versus $482 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – 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 $779 in Imperatriz versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz 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.