Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araras Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Araras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $833 in Araras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,295 in Araras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,758 in Araras, rent included.

Medellin costs about 22% more than Araras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Araras are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Araras 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.64 R$13.35

126.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.35 R$138

20.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.79 R$29.30

22.45%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.00 R$10.10

-14.50%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.26 R$6.36

-12.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.92 R$4.65

-15.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.09 R$10.58

-19.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.75 R$13.92

11.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.04 R$5.29

4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.54 R$7.77

-18.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.33 R$6.75

3.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.91 R$14.71

-24.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.38 R$62.6

-64.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.23 R$21.38

33.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.59 R$43.46

3.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.60 R$8.11

46.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.25 R$6.31

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.57 R$2.90

163.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.74 R$8.81

-20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.31 R$6.63

-12.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.23 R$6.20

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.09 R$5.50

-18.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.25 R$6.33

-32.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.21 R$11.19

3.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$7.92 R$40.09

34.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.41 R$7.14

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.13 R$10.76

15.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.77 R$3.90

11.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$38.74 R$196

6.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.29 R$6.51

13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.01 R$5.11

94.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.28 R$31.76

23.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.85 R$4.30

11.76%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$20.7K R$104.5K

-12.26%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$28.8K R$145.6K

-7.95%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$85.9 R$435

-4.27%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.73 R$59.3

-19.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.26 R$82.3

49.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$55.0 R$278

-52.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$17.87 R$90.4

6.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.45 R$27.56

-27.89%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$284 R$1,437

8.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,972 R$40.3K

-25.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.84 R$232

27.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$40.08 R$203

-19.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$78.9 R$399

29.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$40.73 R$206

166.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$237 R$1,201

100.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$219 R$1,111

72.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$589 R$2,982

42.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$431 R$2,178

68.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,600 R$8,097

74.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,147 R$5,802

5.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Araras: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $237 in Araras. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Araras. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $206 in Araras – 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 Araras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 22% more than Araras, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,249 in Araras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 7% less in Araras. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $284 in Araras. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Araras, where all-in costs run around $833, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Araras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Araras costs $833 versus $1,013 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Araras. 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.