Cost of Living Comparison Between Madeira and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Madeira and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,596 in Madeira versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,338 in Madeira versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,080 in Madeira versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Madeira is roughly 58% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Madeira is 19% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.37 €9.79

$5.99 COP 21.3K

89.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.81 €39.44

$32.86 COP 116.9K

39.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 €7.95

$7.09 COP 25.2K

30.32%

Cappuccino

$2.18 €1.87

$1.71 COP 6,093

27.49%

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

$1.86 €1.60

$1.10 COP 3,910

69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 €1.17

$0.78 COP 2,771

74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 €2.03

$1.68 COP 5,976

39.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 €2.90

$3.07 COP 10.9K

9.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 €0.94

$1.09 COP 3,892

White Bread (500g)

$1.58 €1.36

$1.26 COP 4,492

25.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 €1.42

$1.38 COP 4,905

19.57%

Eggs

$3.13 €2.69

$2.19 COP 7,799

42.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 €9.79

$4.40 COP 15.7K

158.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 €6.56

$5.63 COP 20.0K

35.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 €12.27

$8.89 COP 31.6K

60.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 €1.97

$2.34 COP 8,319

-2.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 €1.28

$1.06 COP 3,764

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 €1.52

$1.50 COP 5,355

18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.59 €2.23

$1.38 COP 4,906

87.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 €1.25

$1.15 COP 4,097

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.16 COP 4,141

63.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 €1.39

$0.89 COP 3,170

82.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 €0.67

$0.84 COP 2,986

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 €5.09

$2.28 COP 8,116

159.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.16 €4.44

$10.64 COP 37.9K

-51.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 €1.09

$1.20 COP 4,268

5.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.98

$2.47 COP 8,793

-6.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.94

$0.86 COP 3,045

161.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.56 €36.64

$41.40 COP 147.3K

2.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 €3.52

$1.47 COP 5,245

178.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.85 €0.74

$1.96 COP 6,984

-56.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.11 €14.73

$7.74 COP 27.5K

121.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.95 COP 3,397

108.42%

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

$34.6K €29.8K

$18.1K COP 64.5M

91.05%

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

$39.4K €33.9K

$26.5K COP 94.2M

48.75%

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

$134 €115

$82.3 COP 292.7K

62.38%

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

$21.61 €18.60

$9.50 COP 33.8K

127.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.97 €36.13

$24.23 COP 86.2K

73.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.35 €38.18

$25.89 COP 92.1K

71.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 €7.03

$3.93 COP 14.0K

107.89%

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

$467 €402

$309 COP 1.1M

51.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,341 €7,181

$5,965 COP 21.2M

39.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 €62.8

$58.7 COP 208.7K

24.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.84 €33.44

$32.35 COP 115.1K

20.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €80.5

$103 COP 365.1K

-8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 €79.0

$108 COP 385.8K

-15.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 €800

$476 COP 1.7M

95.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 €622

$379 COP 1.3M

90.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 €1,251

$838 COP 3.0M

73.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 €986

$724 COP 2.6M

58.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,071 €2,644

$2,791 COP 9.9M

10.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,294 €1,975

$1,211 COP 4.3M

89.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.01

13.43

-62.70%

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

Last update for Madeira: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $930 in Madeira and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Madeira vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $188 per month, with Medellin 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

Madeira vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,394 in Madeira and $1,519 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: $930 in Madeira versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,596 per month in Madeira versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 3% less than in Madeira. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,596 in Madeira, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Madeira. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Madeira, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Madeira and Medellin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.