Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aracatuba Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Aracatuba

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $776 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,252 in Aracatuba, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,729 in Aracatuba, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Aracatuba, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Aracatuba are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Aracatuba 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$5.52 R$27.43

7.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$26.49 R$132

25.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.24 R$31.03

16.19%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.79 R$8.90

-4.47%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.13 R$5.63

-3.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.63 R$3.11

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.84 R$9.17

-4.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.69 R$13.35

18.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.99 R$4.91

7.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.51 R$7.51

-13.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$1.17 R$5.82

17.95%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.97 R$9.78

12.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.00 R$39.78

-43.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.71 R$18.45

56.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$7.45 R$37.03

20.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$2.13 R$10.60

7.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$1.25 R$6.20

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$1.20 R$5.96

25.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.46 R$7.27

-6.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.14 R$5.68

1.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$1.11 R$5.49

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.71 R$3.52

16.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.67 R$3.32

26.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$2.18 R$10.85

7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$8.81 R$43.81

25.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.21 R$6.04

-4.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$2.01 R$9.98

22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.94 R$4.66

-15.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$37.94 R$189

10.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.05 R$5.21

37.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.71 R$3.53

167.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$6.31 R$31.37

22.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.09 R$5.41

-5.50%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$21.0K R$104.2K

-15.63%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$28.0K R$139.0K

-3.43%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$61.3 R$304

32.93%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$13.73 R$68.2

-31.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$19.18 R$95.4

23.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$22.14 R$110

16.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$21.58 R$107

-10.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.17 R$30.65

-34.36%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$274 R$1,363

13.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$6,604 R$32.8K

-8.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$49.55 R$246

18.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$41.48 R$206

-20.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$74.8 R$372

34.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$64.1 R$319

65.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$309 R$1,538

58.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$219 R$1,090

69.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$573 R$2,848

46.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$430 R$2,139

66.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,645 R$8,175

79.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,214 R$6,032

14.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$377 R$1,875

41.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Aracatuba: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $309 in Aracatuba. 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 41% 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 in Medellin versus $26 in Aracatuba. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $177 – making Aracatuba the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Aracatuba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,030 in Medellin, $776 in Aracatuba – roughly 33% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,163 in Aracatuba. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $312 per month in Medellin and $274 in Aracatuba. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Aracatuba, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Aracatuba 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 $776 in Aracatuba to $1,030 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Aracatuba. 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.