Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $710 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,152 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,594 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $2,192 in Medellin, rent included.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes is about 30% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Jaboatão dos Guararapes 47% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 R$28.61

$5.99 COP 21.4K

-4.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.36 R$142

$32.86 COP 117.4K

-13.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 R$31.70

$7.09 COP 25.3K

-10.72%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$8.89

$1.71 COP 6,115

4.09%

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

$0.87 R$4.34

$1.10 COP 3,924

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 R$2.44

$0.78 COP 2,781

-37.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 R$7.29

$1.68 COP 5,997

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 R$10.65

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-30.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.50

$1.09 COP 3,906

0.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 R$6.89

$1.26 COP 4,508

9.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.30

$1.38 COP 4,922

-23.19%

Eggs

$1.84 R$9.23

$2.19 COP 7,827

-15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 R$35.25

$4.40 COP 15.7K

60.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 R$17.81

$5.63 COP 20.1K

-36.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 R$38.03

$8.89 COP 31.8K

-14.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 R$11.10

$2.34 COP 8,349

-5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.70

$1.06 COP 3,777

-11.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.93 R$4.63

$1.50 COP 5,374

-38.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 R$5.82

$1.38 COP 4,924

-15.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.46

$1.15 COP 4,111

12.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.04

$1.16 COP 4,155

-12.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 R$2.72

$0.89 COP 3,182

-39.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.63

$0.84 COP 2,997

-36.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.25 R$6.23

$2.28 COP 8,145

-45.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.97 R$39.90

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-25.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.77

$1.20 COP 4,284

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 R$12.38

$2.47 COP 8,824

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.73 R$3.64

$0.86 COP 3,056

-15.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 R$204

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-1.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.55

$1.47 COP 5,264

-24.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 R$3.13

$1.96 COP 7,009

-68.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 R$17.81

$7.74 COP 27.6K

-54.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.51

$0.95 COP 3,409

15.79%

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

$16.4K R$82.1K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

-9.50%

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

$30.4K R$152.0K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

14.70%

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

$43.78 R$219

$82.3 COP 293.7K

-46.77%

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

$15.32 R$76.7

$9.50 COP 33.9K

61.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.48 R$82.5

$24.23 COP 86.5K

-31.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.89 R$115

$25.89 COP 92.4K

-11.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.29 R$107

$19.00 COP 67.9K

12.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 R$34.40

$3.93 COP 14.0K

74.81%

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

$118 R$589

$309 COP 1.1M

-61.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,359 R$31.8K

$5,965 COP 21.3M

6.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 R$299

$58.7 COP 209.5K

1.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 R$257

$32.35 COP 115.5K

58.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 R$422

$103 COP 366.4K

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 R$380

$108 COP 387.2K

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$317 R$1,585

$476 COP 1.7M

-33.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 R$833

$379 COP 1.4M

-56.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 R$2,881

$838 COP 3.0M

-31.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$311 R$1,555

$724 COP 2.6M

-57.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,610 R$8,056

$2,791 COP 10.0M

-42.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,086 R$5,437

$1,211 COP 4.3M

-10.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$267 R$1,336

$512 COP 1.8M

-47.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-10.65%

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

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $317 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $476 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 92% 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 $28.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $165 vs $188 – making Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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

Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,065 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 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 $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $1,013 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Jaboatão dos Guararapes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jaboatão dos Guararapes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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.