Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Jaboatão dos Guararapes and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaboatão dos Guararapes: $857 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes
🇧🇷 Brazil
$857
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $857 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $1,614 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jaboatão dos Guararapes $857
  • Medellin $1,614

A couple spends around $1,319 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $2,402 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jaboatão dos Guararapes $1,319
  • Medellin $2,402

A family of three spends $1,780 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $3,190 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Jaboatão dos Guararapes $1,780
  • Medellin $3,190

Jaboatão dos Guararapes is about 47% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes sits 37% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.04 R$30.60
$7.93 COP 25.2K
-23.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$30.46 R$154
$46.13 COP 146.3K
-33.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.04 R$40.77
$9.50 COP 30.1K
-15.37%
Cappuccino
$1.58 R$8.02
$3.11 COP 9,866
-49.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.07 R$5.41
$1.83 COP 5,800
-41.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 R$3.28
$1.38 COP 4,360
-52.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.62 R$8.19
$3.05 COP 9,672
-46.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.20 R$16.20
$5.50 COP 17.4K
-41.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.22 R$6.20
$1.45 COP 4,600
-15.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.07 R$10.51
$2.36 COP 7,496
-12.29%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 R$7.50
$1.68 COP 5,328
-11.90%
Eggs
$2.15 R$10.90
$2.86 COP 9,077
-24.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.21 R$41.61
$10.19 COP 32.3K
-19.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.60 R$23.33
$9.53 COP 30.2K
-51.73%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.06 R$40.84
$14.04 COP 44.5K
-42.59%
Apples (1kg)
$1.37 R$6.93
$4.07 COP 12.9K
-66.34%
Banana (1kg)
$0.93 R$4.73
$1.50 COP 4,742
-38.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.80 R$4.07
$2.17 COP 6,891
-63.13%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.23 R$6.23
$2.31 COP 7,310
-46.75%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 R$7.56
$1.93 COP 6,113
-22.80%
Onion (1kg)
$1.13 R$5.73
$1.64 COP 5,196
-31.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.52 R$2.63
$1.13 COP 3,571
-53.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 R$4.21
$1.25 COP 3,954
-33.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.04 R$15.41
$3.99 COP 12.6K
-23.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.85 R$39.77
$13.35 COP 42.3K
-41.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19 R$6.02
$1.70 COP 5,384
-30.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.59 R$8.05
$2.37 COP 7,525
-32.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.86 R$4.36
$1.21 COP 3,827
-28.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.84 R$227
$76.5 COP 242.5K
-41.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.22 R$6.18
$1.32 COP 4,179
-7.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.75 R$3.80
$2.14 COP 6,774
-64.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.20 R$16.21
$8.47 COP 26.8K
-62.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 R$6.72
$1.30 COP 4,114
2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6K R$119.7K
$28.0K COP 88.7M
-15.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K R$169.7K
$35.4K COP 112.3M
-5.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$114 R$580
$172 COP 545.6K
-33.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.58 R$68.8
$13.37 COP 42.4K
1.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.55 R$89.0
$28.73 COP 91.1K
-38.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.57 R$130
$45.24 COP 143.5K
-43.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$27.33 R$139
$17.04 COP 54.0K
60.39%
Cinema Ticket
$10.16 R$51.5
$6.28 COP 19.9K
61.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$280 R$1,419
$770 COP 2.4M
-63.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,919 R$35.1K
$9,011 COP 28.6M
-23.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 R$229
$86.4 COP 274.0K
-47.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.78 R$252
$57.1 COP 181.1K
-12.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 R$390
$137 COP 432.9K
-43.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.8 R$394
$97.9 COP 310.4K
-20.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$354 R$1,792
$1,055 COP 3.3M
-66.49%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$203 R$1,027
$616 COP 2.0M
-67.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$665 R$3,369
$1,892 COP 6.0M
-64.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$347 R$1,759
$1,023 COP 3.2M
-66.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,949 R$9,881
$4,059 COP 12.9M
-51.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,106 R$5,608
$1,678 COP 5.3M
-34.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$317 R$1,605
$652 COP 2.1M
-51.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.75
10.94
7.40%

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

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: October 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$203
Medellin
$616 204% $413
Groceries & Markets
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$185
Medellin
$295 59.6% $110
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$146
Medellin
$214 47.1% $69
Eating Out
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$113
Medellin
$168 49.4% $56
Clothing & Footwear
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$112
Medellin
$170 51.4% $58
Getting Around
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$53
Medellin
$93 75.2% $40
Sport & Entertainment
Jaboatão dos Guararapes
$46
Medellin
$58 26% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $1,055 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 106% 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 $30.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $46.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $185 vs $295 – making Jaboatão dos Guararapes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Jaboatão dos Guararapes
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
13:04 1:04 PM
11:04 11:04 AM
2 h behind Jaboatão dos Guararapes
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
644,037
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Jaboatão dos Guararapes Medellin 4,790 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Jaboatão dos Guararapes
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Medellin cheaper than Jaboatão dos Guararapes?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 88%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,285 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $2,421 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $857 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $1,614 in Medellin. That's a gap of about 88%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 71% less in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Jaboatão dos Guararapes or in Medellin?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, where all-in costs run around $857, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Jaboatão dos Guararapes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Jaboatão dos Guararapes or Medellin more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs other spots: cost of living compared

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