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 $834 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $1,716 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,280 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $2,527 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,727 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes vs $3,338 in Medellin, rent included.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes is about 51% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Jaboatão dos Guararapes sits 39% below the global median, while Medellin is 25% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.74 R$29.25

$8.03 COP 25.2K

-28.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.35 R$150

$48.26 COP 151.7K

-39.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 R$38.53

$9.77 COP 30.7K

-22.72%

Cappuccino

$1.53 R$7.79

$2.91 COP 9,149

-47.42%

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

$1.02 R$5.19

$1.94 COP 6,110

-47.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.98

$1.52 COP 4,783

-61.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 R$7.73

$3.09 COP 9,721

-50.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 R$15.57

$5.74 COP 18.1K

-46.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 R$5.81

$1.36 COP 4,287

-16.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 R$10.15

$2.39 COP 7,505

-16.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.68

$1.70 COP 5,346

-11.18%

Eggs

$2.07 R$10.53

$2.87 COP 9,021

-27.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.74 R$39.46

$9.94 COP 31.2K

-22.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.26 R$21.72

$10.78 COP 33.9K

-60.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.58 R$38.64

$14.73 COP 46.3K

-48.54%

Apples (1kg)

$1.31 R$6.68

$4.09 COP 12.8K

-67.97%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 R$4.58

$1.57 COP 4,940

-42.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 R$3.92

$2.13 COP 6,682

-63.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.26

$2.21 COP 6,959

-44.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.04

$2.05 COP 6,435

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 R$5.49

$1.50 COP 4,728

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 R$2.37

$1.19 COP 3,740

-61.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 R$4.08

$1.16 COP 3,640

-31.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 R$14.60

$3.90 COP 12.2K

-26.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.83 R$39.95

$14.44 COP 45.4K

-45.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 R$5.82

$1.58 COP 4,978

-27.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 R$7.52

$2.83 COP 8,889

-48.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.76 R$3.87

$1.17 COP 3,672

-35.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.83 R$213

$77.7 COP 244.3K

-46.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 R$6.20

$1.28 COP 4,038

-4.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$2.09 COP 6,576

-66.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 R$16.08

$8.62 COP 27.1K

-63.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R$6.54

$1.30 COP 4,080

-1.54%

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

$23.1K R$117.7K

$27.7K COP 86.9M

-16.52%

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

$31.9K R$162.8K

$35.5K COP 111.6M

-10.09%

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

$114 R$581

$176 COP 553.4K

-35.29%

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

$12.81 R$65.3

$13.37 COP 42.0K

-4.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 R$87.0

$29.89 COP 94.0K

-42.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 R$129

$44.76 COP 140.7K

-43.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.23 R$154

$17.06 COP 53.6K

77.20%

Cinema Ticket

$9.46 R$48.25

$6.20 COP 19.5K

52.58%

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

$272 R$1,388

$793 COP 2.5M

-65.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,387 R$32.6K

$9,019 COP 28.4M

-29.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.43 R$227

$85.6 COP 269.1K

-48.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 R$249

$58.5 COP 183.8K

-16.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 R$379

$136 COP 428.4K

-45.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.3 R$374

$103 COP 324.1K

-28.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$347 R$1,768

$1,060 COP 3.3M

-67.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$200 R$1,020

$680 COP 2.1M

-70.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 R$3,292

$2,012 COP 6.3M

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 R$1,752

$1,169 COP 3.7M

-70.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,494 R$7,621

$4,111 COP 12.9M

-63.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,125 R$5,737

$1,701 COP 5.3M

-33.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$300 R$1,529

$665 COP 2.1M

-54.94%

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: August 30, 2026

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $347 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 122% 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 $29.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes versus $48.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $176 vs $303 – 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 106%, 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 $1,251 per month in Jaboatão dos Guararapes 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 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 $834 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes and $1,716 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 86% 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 $834, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.