Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alfenas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Alfenas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $648 in Alfenas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,193 in Alfenas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,737 in Alfenas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Alfenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Alfenas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Alfenas 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.65 R$18.48

64.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.52 R$134

23.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.55 R$28.06

27.75%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$0.92 R$4.67

85.87%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.56 R$2.81

96.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.56 R$2.84

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.12 R$10.70

-20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.78 R$14.04

10.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.05 R$5.33

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.84 R$9.29

-31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.32 R$6.66

4.55%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.49 R$12.59

-12.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.11 R$56.2

-60.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.31 R$21.80

30.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$9.21 R$46.57

-3.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.87 R$14.52

-18.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.94 R$9.79

-45.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.62 R$8.20

-7.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.84 R$9.33

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.43 R$7.25

-19.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.29 R$6.54

-10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.95 R$4.83

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.69 R$3.49

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.78 R$9.02

28.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$9.76 R$49.36

9.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.35 R$6.83

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.33 R$11.79

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.88 R$4.43

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$39.23 R$198

5.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.11 R$5.59

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.71 R$3.57

176.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$9.42 R$47.66

-17.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.11 R$5.61

-14.41%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$22.0K R$111.5K

-17.69%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$26.6K R$134.6K

-0.42%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$53.2 R$269

54.52%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.34 R$67.5

-28.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$17.81 R$90.1

36.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.30 R$113

16.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$21.84 R$110

-13.00%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.35 R$32.14

-38.11%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$497 R$2,515

-37.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$15.1K R$76.2K

-60.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$51.4 R$260

14.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$42.55 R$215

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$78.0 R$395

31.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$74.3 R$376

45.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$309 R$1,564

54.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$89.9 R$455

321.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$575 R$2,908

45.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$428 R$2,165

69.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,512 R$7,651

84.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,207 R$6,104

0.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$501 R$2,535

2.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.56

16.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Alfenas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $309 in Alfenas. 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 2% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Alfenas. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $218 in Alfenas – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Alfenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,013 in Medellin, $648 in Alfenas – roughly 56% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $972 in Alfenas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alfenas, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $27.00 in Alfenas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Alfenas, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Alfenas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $648 in Alfenas to $1,013 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Alfenas. 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.