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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $851 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,341 in Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,831 in Boa Vista, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Boa Vista 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.46 R$27.72

8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.49 R$134

24.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.39 R$32.44

16.28%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.71 R$8.69

-3.51%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.11 R$5.65

-0.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.65 R$3.31

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.76 R$8.95

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.72 R$13.79

16.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.98 R$4.98

12.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.52 R$7.69

-17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.01 R$5.12

36.63%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.57 R$13.02

-15.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.78 R$44.58

-48.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.56 R$18.09

62.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.06 R$56.1

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.16 R$10.96

7.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.14 R$5.79

-7.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.55 R$7.85

-1.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.50 R$7.63

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.92 R$4.69

22.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.93 R$4.71

25.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.74 R$3.74

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.65 R$3.32

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.19 R$11.10

1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$17.47 R$88.7

-30.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.20 R$6.11

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.99 R$10.10

24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.87 R$4.42

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.08 R$198

6.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.06 R$5.39

33.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.71 R$3.59

174.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.23 R$31.61

26.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.05 R$5.33

-5.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.6K R$104.4K

-14.43%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.8K R$140.9K

-3.48%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$61.6 R$312

34.87%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$20.69 R$105

-53.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$28.30 R$144

-16.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$29.65 R$150

-14.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$22.02 R$112

-13.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.27 R$26.77

-25.05%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$274 R$1,389

15.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,525 R$33.1K

-8.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$48.38 R$245

24.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.59 R$211

-23.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.0 R$381

35.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$64.5 R$327

66.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$312 R$1,584

52.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$230 R$1,166

62.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$572 R$2,902

48.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$433 R$2,198

66.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$770 R$3,908

324.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$782 R$3,969

84.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$625 R$3,171

-0.08%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Boa Vista: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $312 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 0% higher in Boa Vista, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $208 in Boa Vista – 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 Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 18% 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,276 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $851 in Boa Vista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Boa Vista. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $851, than in Medellin at $1,003. 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 $851 versus $1,003 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.