Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabo Frio Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cabo Frio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,305 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,784 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 25% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cabo Frio 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.28 R$36.34

-18.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$28.95 R$144

13.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$6.11 R$30.51

17.84%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.95 R$9.73

-12.82%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.32 R$6.57

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.57 R$2.83

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.82 R$9.10

-8.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.78 R$13.88

11.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.13 R$5.62

-6.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.76 R$8.79

-28.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.42 R$7.10

-2.11%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$1.96 R$9.80

15.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.79 R$38.87

-44.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.63 R$18.11

60.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$7.91 R$39.48

11.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.30 R$11.45

-2.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.63 R$8.12

-33.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.51 R$7.55

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.56 R$7.79

-12.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.29 R$6.43

-12.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.16 R$5.80

-3.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.68 R$3.40

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.56 R$2.81

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.96 R$9.77

18.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.98 R$39.81

39.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.21 R$6.04

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.05 R$10.23

15.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$1.13 R$5.63

-30.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$38.22 R$191

7.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.12 R$5.59

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.69 R$3.45

176.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$7.39 R$36.88

8.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.12 R$5.56

-16.07%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$20.2K R$101.0K

-11.46%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.1K R$135.4K

-1.25%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$101 R$505

-17.04%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$12.15 R$60.6

-20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.81 R$93.9

28.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.65 R$113

14.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.66 R$108

-12.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.62 R$33.04

-40.79%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$546 R$2,727

-43.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$11.6K R$57.8K

-48.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$44.47 R$222

30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$40.94 R$204

-22.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$76.9 R$383

29.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$62.0 R$310

72.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$318 R$1,588

52.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$220 R$1,096

67.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$583 R$2,907

41.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$421 R$2,103

69.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$280 R$1,398

94.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $318 in Cabo Frio. 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 95% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $185 – making Cabo Frio 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 Cabo Frio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,238 in Cabo Frio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cabo Frio, 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $825 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 8% less in Cabo Frio. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cabo Frio, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cabo Frio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cabo Frio – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Cabo Frio. 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.