Cost of Living Comparison Between Itajai and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Itajai and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $968 per month in Itajai vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,187 per month in Itajai vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,406 per month in Itajai vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Itajai is about 44% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Itajai sits 30% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.40 R$27.49

$8.03 COP 25.3K

-32.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.62 R$187

$48.26 COP 152.0K

-24.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.75 R$44.59

$9.77 COP 30.8K

-10.44%

Cappuccino

$2.54 R$12.91

$2.91 COP 9,167

-12.71%

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

$1.13 R$5.75

$1.94 COP 6,122

-41.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 R$4.34

$1.52 COP 4,792

-44.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R$13.89

$3.09 COP 9,740

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R$14.53

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-50.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 R$4.68

$1.36 COP 4,296

-32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 R$7.93

$2.39 COP 7,519

-34.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.70 COP 5,356

-32.94%

Eggs

$2.02 R$10.28

$2.87 COP 9,038

-29.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.12 R$46.43

$9.94 COP 31.3K

-8.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 R$22.19

$10.78 COP 34.0K

-59.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R$37.17

$14.73 COP 46.4K

-50.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 R$8.79

$4.09 COP 12.9K

-57.70%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.57 COP 4,950

-40.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 R$4.01

$2.13 COP 6,695

-62.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.02

$2.21 COP 6,972

-37.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 R$4.39

$2.05 COP 6,447

-58.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 R$3.04

$1.50 COP 4,737

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.76 R$3.85

$1.19 COP 3,747

-36.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 R$3.74

$1.16 COP 3,647

-37.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 R$14.38

$3.90 COP 12.3K

-27.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 R$38.92

$14.44 COP 45.5K

-47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.43

$1.58 COP 4,987

-44.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 R$9.40

$2.83 COP 8,905

-34.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 R$4.29

$1.17 COP 3,679

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.26 R$6.43

$1.28 COP 4,045

-1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.80

$2.09 COP 6,589

-64.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.76 R$29.32

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-33.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 R$6.47

$1.30 COP 4,088

-2.31%

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

$23.1K R$117.8K

$27.7K COP 87.1M

-16.41%

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

$32.2K R$164.0K

$35.5K COP 111.8M

-9.30%

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

$97.0 R$494

$176 COP 554.5K

-44.92%

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

$14.75 R$75.1

$13.37 COP 42.1K

10.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.31 R$114

$29.89 COP 94.1K

-25.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.26 R$154

$44.76 COP 141.0K

-32.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$7.60 R$38.73

$6.20 COP 19.5K

22.58%

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

$270 R$1,374

$793 COP 2.5M

-65.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,932 R$25.1K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.2 R$368

$85.6 COP 269.6K

-15.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.7 R$360

$58.5 COP 184.1K

20.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.0 R$469

$136 COP 429.3K

-32.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.6 R$380

$103 COP 324.7K

-27.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$492 R$2,505

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-53.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$340 R$1,734

$680 COP 2.1M

-49.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,349 R$6,870

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-32.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 R$11.4K

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-45.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$601 R$3,061

$665 COP 2.1M

-9.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.63

10.94

-2.83%

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

Last update for Itajai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $492 in Itajai versus $1,060 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 11% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Itajai versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $303 – making Itajai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Itajai vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $968 in Itajai, $1,716 in Medellin – roughly 77% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,452 per month in Itajai and $2,574 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itajai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $968 in Itajai and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $270 per month in Itajai and $793 in Medellin. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itajai, where all-in costs run around $968, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Itajai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $968 in Itajai to $1,716 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itajai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.