Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Almada

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,639 a month against $1,854 in Almada, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Almada outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Medellin, Colombia
Almada, Portugal
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Almada
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,854
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Almada

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 Almada actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,639 per month in Medellin vs $1,854 in Almada, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Almada $1,854

A couple spends around $2,413 per month in Medellin vs $2,684 in Almada, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Almada $2,684

A family of three spends $3,186 per month in Medellin vs $3,514 in Almada, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Almada $3,514

Medellin is about 12% cheaper than Almada, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Medellin and Almada sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Almada by 36%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$17.07 €15.29
-52.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.7K
$55.1 €49.36
-14.64%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.6K
$10.98 €9.83
-13.48%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,722
$2.58 €2.31
16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,801
$1.51 €1.35
19.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,554
$1.20 €1.07
17.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$3.37 €3.02
-5.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.5K
$3.43 €3.07
67.64%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,869
$1.03 €0.92
46.60%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,667
$1.26 €1.13
88.89%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,712
$1.53 €1.37
15.69%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,320
$3.67 €3.29
-21.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$11.85 €10.62
-14.01%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.8K
$7.79 €6.98
26.70%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$14.97 €13.40
-6.55%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.19 €1.96
81.28%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,005
$1.30 €1.16
19.23%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,039
$1.84 €1.65
18.48%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,041
$2.59 €2.32
-15.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,328
$1.80 €1.62
8.89%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,125
$1.75 €1.57
-9.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,694
$1.60 €1.43
-28.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,009
$0.80 €0.71
55.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$6.07 €5.44
-34.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.1K
$5.51 €4.93
148.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,352
$1.33 €1.19
24.81%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,281
$2.06 €1.85
9.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Almada
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,766
$2.19 €1.96
-46.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.5K
$43.91 €39.33
76.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,089
$3.80 €3.40
-66.58%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,603
$0.76 €0.68
169.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$16.45 €14.73
-48.02%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,343
$2.17 €1.94
-37.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.8M
$34.0K €30.4K
0.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.8M
$38.4K €34.4K
-9.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.0K
$108 €96.7
57.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$18.46 €16.53
-26.60%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.5K
$33.76 €30.23
-16.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 140.9K
$36.32 €32.53
20.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.4K
$15.07 €13.49
14.07%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$8.42 €7.54
-17.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$625 €560
27.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$11.3K €10.1K
-19.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.2K
$101 €90.7
-16.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 186.9K
$44.82 €40.14
29.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.2K
$83.3 €74.6
61.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.6K
$105 €94.4
-7.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Almada
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$1,123 €1,006
7.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$946 €848
-32.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,731 €1,550
17.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,408 €1,261
-28.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.4M
$5,140 €4,603
-18.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$3,218 €2,882
-40.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Almada
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
$1,325 €1,187
-50.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
3.54
209.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Almada: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Almada
$946 47.5% $305
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Almada
$249 16.2% $48
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Almada
$160 24.2% $51
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Almada
$235 38.5% $65
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Almada
$151 10.8% $18
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Almada
$60 35.6% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Almada
$53 7.6% $4.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,208 in Medellin versus $1,123 in Almada. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Almada are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin versus $55 in Almada. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Medellin vs $249 in Almada – so Almada wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇹 Almada
🕒 Local time
11:31 11:31 AM
16:31 4:31 PM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
177,268
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 3,224 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,600 COP (10,000 COP = 2.78 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Almada 7,540 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Almada

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 Almada: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Medellin and in Almada compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,639 in Medellin, $1,854 in Almada – Medellin comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Medellin compared to Almada?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,459 per month in Medellin and $2,782 in Almada. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do apartment prices compare in Medellin and in Almada?
A central 1-bedroom goes for about $1,208 in Medellin and $1,123 in Almada. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Medellin and $55 in Almada. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more expensive overall: Medellin or Almada?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,639 in Medellin and $1,854 in Almada. That makes Medellin about 12% cheaper.
How far does $2,500 go in Medellin compared to Almada?
$2,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,639 in Medellin and $1,854 in Almada, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
How does quality of life compare between Medellin and Almada?
It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,639 in Medellin to $1,854 in Almada. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Medellin and Almada?
If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Almada makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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