Cost of Living Comparison Between Matosinhos and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Matosinhos and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,837 in Matosinhos versus $1,013 in Medellin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,670 in Matosinhos versus $1,602 in Medellin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,503 in Matosinhos versus $2,192 in Medellin.

Living in Matosinhos is roughly 81% more expensive than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Matosinhos is 37% above, Medellin is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 €10.14

$5.99 COP 21.4K

96.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.85 €40.30

$32.86 COP 117.4K

42.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.11 €7.83

$7.09 COP 25.3K

28.49%

Cappuccino

$2.31 €1.99

$1.71 COP 6,115

35.09%

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

$1.97 €1.69

$1.10 COP 3,924

79.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 €1.22

$0.78 COP 2,781

82.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 €2.45

$1.68 COP 5,997

69.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 €2.93

$3.07 COP 11.0K

10.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 €0.92

$1.09 COP 3,906

-1.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.26 COP 4,508

39.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 €1.40

$1.38 COP 4,922

18.12%

Eggs

$3.03 €2.61

$2.19 COP 7,827

38.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 €9.85

$4.40 COP 15.7K

160.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 €6.08

$5.63 COP 20.1K

25.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 €12.16

$8.89 COP 31.8K

58.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 €1.83

$2.34 COP 8,349

-8.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 €1.26

$1.06 COP 3,777

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 €1.57

$1.50 COP 5,374

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.13

$1.38 COP 4,924

78.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.32 €1.13

$1.15 COP 4,111

14.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.81 €1.56

$1.16 COP 4,155

56.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 €1.28

$0.89 COP 3,182

67.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 €0.72

$0.84 COP 2,997

-1.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.21 €5.34

$2.28 COP 8,145

172.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 €4.87

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-46.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 €0.98

$1.20 COP 4,284

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 €1.96

$2.47 COP 8,824

-8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.81 €1.56

$0.86 COP 3,056

110.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.25 €30.32

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-14.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 €3.54

$1.47 COP 5,264

180.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 €0.68

$1.96 COP 7,009

-59.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.49 €12.46

$7.74 COP 27.6K

87.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.96 €1.69

$0.95 COP 3,409

106.32%

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

$34.4K €29.6K

$18.1K COP 64.7M

89.50%

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

$39.3K €33.8K

$26.5K COP 94.6M

48.29%

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

$137 €118

$82.3 COP 293.7K

66.41%

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

$21.23 €18.26

$9.50 COP 33.9K

123.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.22 €36.32

$24.23 COP 86.5K

74.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.85 €40.30

$25.89 COP 92.4K

80.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.54 €7.35

$3.93 COP 14.0K

117.30%

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

$353 €303

$309 COP 1.1M

14.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,368 €7,198

$5,965 COP 21.3M

40.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.8 €64.4

$58.7 COP 209.5K

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.85 €29.12

$32.35 COP 115.5K

4.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 €78.6

$103 COP 366.4K

-10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 €95.0

$108 COP 387.2K

1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,157 €995

$476 COP 1.7M

143.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 €807

$379 COP 1.4M

147.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,926 €1,656

$838 COP 3.0M

129.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 €1,398

$724 COP 2.6M

124.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,543 €3,908

$2,791 COP 10.0M

62.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,003 €3,443

$1,211 COP 4.3M

230.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,247 €1,073

$512 COP 1.8M

143.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.29

13.43

-60.61%

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

Last update for Matosinhos: June 2, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,157 in Matosinhos and $476 in Medellin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Matosinhos pays 144% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Matosinhos vs $33.00 in Medellin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $243 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

Matosinhos vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Matosinhos pays 144% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,157 in Matosinhos versus $476 in Medellin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,837 per month in Matosinhos versus $1,013 in Medellin – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 17% less than in Matosinhos. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,013 in Medellin versus $1,837 in Matosinhos, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Matosinhos. 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 Matosinhos, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Matosinhos 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 81% less than in Matosinhos. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.