Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brades Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Brades

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Medellin versus $723 in Brades.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,939 in Brades.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $3,155 in Brades.

Living in Medellin is roughly 40% more expensive than Brades, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Brades 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$18.19 EC$49.12

-67.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$47.80 EC$129

-31.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.54 EC$20.36

-5.97%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$6.45 EC$17.42

-73.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$2.50 EC$6.75

-56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.38 EC$3.73

-43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$2.56 EC$6.92

-34.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$4.52 EC$12.19

-32.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$3.37 EC$9.10

-67.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$2.91 EC$7.85

-56.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$7.30 EC$19.71

-70.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.96 EC$16.10

-26.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.22 EC$24.88

-38.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$23.85 EC$64.4

-62.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.22 EC$8.69

-27.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$4.55 EC$12.29

-69.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.28 EC$6.15

-49.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$5.30 EC$14.31

-83.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$22.59 EC$61.0

-52.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$4.33 EC$11.68

-42.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.87 EC$5.05

-54.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$22.3K EC$60.1K

-18.61%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$16.6K EC$44.9K

59.42%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$40.93 EC$111

-76.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$54.7 EC$148

-52.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,270 EC$3,428

-33.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$1,289 EC$3,480

-43.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$1,307 EC$3,528

-60.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Brades: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Brades pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $48.00 in Brades for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $346 per month, with Medellin 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 Brades: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brades wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Medellin. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brades the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brades earns 155% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Medellin versus $723 in Brades – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Medellin pay roughly 84% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $723 in Brades versus $1,013 in Medellin, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Brades but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Brades the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Brades delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $723 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brades hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Brades are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brades gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.