Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $770 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $980 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,190 in Boa Vista, rent included.

Medellin costs about 118% more than Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Boa Vista is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$3.80 R$19.60

111.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$23.19 R$119

106.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.96 R$35.84

42.10%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.99 R$10.25

57.29%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.09 R$5.61

75.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.60 R$3.09

151.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.90 R$9.81

64.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.94 R$15.16

95.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.52 R$12.96

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.33 R$6.84

87.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.09 R$5.63

62.39%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.09 R$15.93

-4.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$9.72 R$50.1

3.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$6.37 R$32.83

58.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$12.18 R$62.8

17.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.68 R$13.81

54.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.21 R$6.23

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$1.69 R$8.70

33.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$2.56 R$13.20

-12.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.01 R$5.20

101.98%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$0.99 R$5.07

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.80 R$4.12

46.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.71 R$3.66

84.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.79 R$14.39

39.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$17.49 R$90.1

-19.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.11 R$10.87

-17.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.38 R$7.14

107.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.94 R$4.85

29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.29 R$6.65

6.20%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.6K R$142.4K

29.45%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$22.10 R$114

-37.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$31.04 R$160

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$31.46 R$162

42.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.83 R$30.02

14.07%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$185 R$954

338.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$24.40 R$126

266.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$17.61 R$90.7

234.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$69.0 R$355

100.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$32.43 R$167

214.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$341 R$1,755

211.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$249 R$1,285

165.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$784 R$4,038

433.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$788 R$4,058

112.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$623 R$3,208

8.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $341 in Boa Vista. 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 9% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Boa Vista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $258 – making Boa Vista 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 Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 118% more than Boa Vista, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,155 in Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $770 in Boa Vista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $185 in Boa Vista. 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 Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $770, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Boa Vista costs $770 versus $1,681 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 Boa Vista. 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.