Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Abaetetuba

For one person, living is cheaper in Abaetetuba: $835 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin, Colombia
Abaetetuba, Brazil
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Abaetetuba
🇧🇷 Brazil
$835
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Abaetetuba

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

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $835 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Abaetetuba $835

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $1,355 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Abaetetuba $1,355

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $1,876 in Abaetetuba, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Abaetetuba $1,876

Medellin costs about 96% more than Abaetetuba, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Abaetetuba is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$6.27 R$34.07
29.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.8K
$27.81 R$151
69.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$8.20 R$44.61
15.85%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,729
$1.72 R$9.33
75.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,806
$1.24 R$6.74
45.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,558
$0.69 R$3.75
104.35%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$2.11 R$11.45
50.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$2.89 R$15.71
98.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,873
$1.01 R$5.48
49.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,673
$1.80 R$9.77
32.22%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,716
$1.26 R$6.83
40.48%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,327
$2.16 R$11.72
33.80%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$9.81 R$53.3
3.87%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$4.20 R$22.84
135.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$8.20 R$44.57
70.61%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.32 R$12.64
71.12%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,009
$1.04 R$5.67
49.04%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,044
$1.24 R$6.73
75.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$1.43 R$7.77
52.45%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,333
$1.26 R$6.85
55.56%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,129
$1.17 R$6.37
35.90%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$0.81 R$4.41
41.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,012
$0.64 R$3.49
93.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$2.35 R$12.78
68.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$6.78 R$36.87
101.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,356
$1.26 R$6.87
31.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,286
$2.07 R$11.23
9.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,769
$0.89 R$4.82
31.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.7K
$37.31 R$203
107.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,092
$1.09 R$5.94
16.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,608
$0.74 R$4.02
177.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$6.52 R$35.44
31.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,346
$1.18 R$6.41
14.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.9M
$23.5K R$127.9K
44.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$35.6K R$193.7K
-2.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.5K
$64.9 R$353
161.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$12.86 R$69.9
5.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$21.71 R$118
29.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.0K
$25.90 R$141
68.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$26.37 R$143
-34.81%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$7.65 R$41.60
-9.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$245 R$1,332
225.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$6,640 R$36.1K
37.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.4K
$57.1 R$310
48.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.0K
$45.13 R$245
28.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.5K
$77.6 R$422
74.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.8K
$68.1 R$370
43.80%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$384 R$2,085
214.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$230 R$1,248
179.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$561 R$3,051
261.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$506 R$2,752
99.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$1,787 R$9,714
133.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$1,037 R$5,639
84.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Abaetetuba
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11
-0.55%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Abaetetuba: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Abaetetuba
$230 64.2% $412
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Abaetetuba
$188 36.8% $109
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Abaetetuba
$99 52.9% $112
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Abaetetuba
$119 29.6% $50
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Abaetetuba
$112 34% $57
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Abaetetuba
$46 51.2% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Abaetetuba
$41 28.4% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $384 in Abaetetuba. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $28 in Abaetetuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $188 – making Abaetetuba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇷 Abaetetuba
🕒 Local time
01:05 1:05 AM
03:05 3:05 AM
2 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
158,188
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,617 COP (10,000 COP = 2.76 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 5.44 BRL (1 BRL = 0.184 USD). 1 EUR = 6.09 BRL (1 BRL = 0.164 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Abaetetuba 3,100 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Abaetetuba

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
Medellin vs Abaetetuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Abaetetuba cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 96%, 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 $2,459 per month in Medellin and $1,252 in Abaetetuba. 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 Abaetetuba, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $384 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 52% less in Abaetetuba. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $797 per month in Medellin and $245 in Abaetetuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Abaetetuba?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abaetetuba, where all-in costs run around $835, than in Medellin at $1,639. In Abaetetuba it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Abaetetuba more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Abaetetuba – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Abaetetuba is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 49% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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