Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bauru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Bauru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,031 in Medellin versus $652 in Bauru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,048 in Bauru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,443 in Bauru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 58% more expensive than in Bauru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Bauru 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.91 R$25.09

25.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.68 R$111

50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.21 R$31.76

18.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.39 R$7.09

23.74%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.89 R$4.57

17.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.52 R$2.65

48.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.40 R$7.14

20.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.41 R$12.30

31.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.89 R$4.53

17.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.35 R$6.92

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.13 R$5.78

23.89%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.40 R$12.27

-10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.44 R$32.92

-31.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.85 R$19.70

52.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.19 R$26.51

66.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.87 R$9.57

21.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.38 R$7.07

-19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.06 R$5.41

44.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.72 R$8.78

-21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.34 R$6.86

-15.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.18 R$6.04

-4.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.94 R$4.82

-9.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.63 R$3.21

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.81 R$9.26

29.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$6.61 R$33.76

87.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.05 R$5.37

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.52 R$7.78

63.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.89 R$4.54

-5.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$26.89 R$137

50.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.74 R$3.77

91.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.58 R$2.98

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.39 R$22.42

74.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.98 R$5.00

1.02%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.8K R$111.6K

-17.45%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.2K R$144.3K

-5.68%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$52.3 R$267

54.60%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.53 R$58.9

-13.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$19.87 R$102

21.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$20.00 R$102

25.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$20.09 R$103

-4.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$3.83 R$19.57

3.92%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$284 R$1,453

7.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$5,381 R$27.5K

12.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$46.57 R$238

24.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$45.12 R$231

-28.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.9 R$383

34.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$67.0 R$342

60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$229 R$1,171

107.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$145 R$739

160.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$440 R$2,250

91.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$334 R$1,705

118.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,533 R$7,836

109.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$682 R$3,485

101.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$373 R$1,905

65.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.59

40.04%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Bauru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $229 in Bauru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 65% 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 Bauru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $160 per month, with Bauru 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 Bauru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bauru wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Bauru the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 65% higher in Medellin, 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: $477 in Medellin versus $229 in Bauru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bauru – 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $652 in Bauru – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $652 in Bauru versus $1,031 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Bauru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Bauru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Bauru delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $652 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Bauru hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Bauru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.