Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araraquara Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araraquara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $625 in Araraquara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,027 in Araraquara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,429 in Araraquara.

Living in Medellin is roughly 63% more expensive than Araraquara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Araraquara 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.10 R$25.80

16.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$21.73 R$110

53.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.35 R$32.12

13.86%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.86 R$9.42

-12.37%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.03 R$5.23

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.75 R$3.82

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.75 R$8.85

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.37 R$17.06

-4.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.81 R$4.09

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.16 R$5.86

11.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.31 R$6.64

0.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.22 R$11.22

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$5.96 R$30.19

-27.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.98 R$15.09

97.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.60 R$28.34

53.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.30 R$6.56

73.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$0.82 R$4.13

30.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.86 R$4.35

76.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.15 R$5.81

23.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.76 R$3.84

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.71 R$3.59

64.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.55 R$2.79

61.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.66 R$3.34

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.85 R$9.35

21.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$4.86 R$24.61

127.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.89 R$4.51

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.40 R$7.08

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.92 R$4.67

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.81 R$196

8.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.92 R$4.65

53.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.89 R$4.51

113.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.75 R$44.30

-11.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.06 R$5.35

-4.72%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.1K R$106.7K

-16.62%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$21.9K R$111.0K

20.89%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$47.00 R$238

78.04%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$8.85 R$44.79

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$16.10 R$81.5

49.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$23.87 R$121

6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.99 R$111

-12.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$3.68 R$18.65

11.41%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$320 R$1,621

-2.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,803 R$34.4K

-11.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$41.78 R$212

38.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$38.93 R$197

-16.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$85.7 R$434

16.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$49.65 R$251

118.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$203 R$1,030

137.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$133 R$672

185.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$443 R$2,240

89.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$320 R$1,620

125.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,354 R$6,856

109.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$452 R$2,290

19.57%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Araraquara: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $203 in Araraquara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 20% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Araraquara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $135 per month, with Araraquara 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

Medellin vs Araraquara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Araraquara differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $625 including rent). Araraquara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 20% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $203 in Araraquara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Araraquara – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $625 in Araraquara versus $1,017 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Araraquara but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Araraquara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Araraquara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.