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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $825 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,323 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,821 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cabo Frio are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cabo Frio 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$7.06 R$35.76

-15.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$29.14 R$148

14.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.49 R$32.84

11.40%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$2.00 R$10.11

-18.50%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.34 R$6.77

-18.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.55 R$2.79

32.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.78 R$9.03

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.68 R$13.58

20.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.12 R$5.65

-6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.78 R$8.99

-27.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.47 R$7.46

-10.20%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.00 R$10.14

13.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.02 R$40.61

-45.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.50 R$17.74

68.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$7.88 R$39.89

9.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.42 R$12.27

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.58 R$7.99

-32.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.51 R$7.67

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.56 R$7.90

-8.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.30 R$6.59

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.11 R$5.60

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.63 R$3.18

41.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 R$2.93

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.97 R$9.96

14.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.87 R$29.70

88.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.27 R$6.42

-10.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.12 R$10.73

12.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.12 R$5.66

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.40 R$194

9.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.07 R$5.44

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.65 R$3.28

192.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.50 R$37.97

3.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.11 R$5.61

-9.01%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$20.1K R$101.9K

-12.70%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.3K R$138.1K

-2.90%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$101 R$510

-16.98%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$12.11 R$61.3

-21.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.18 R$97.1

25.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.79 R$115

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.65 R$110

-11.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.38 R$32.31

-35.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$536 R$2,711

-41.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$11.5K R$58.2K

-47.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.26 R$229

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$41.31 R$209

-21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$74.4 R$377

33.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$60.3 R$305

80.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$313 R$1,585

54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$213 R$1,080

77.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$575 R$2,910

45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$426 R$2,159

69.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,536 R$7,776

84.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,061 R$5,370

15.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$272 R$1,376

99.00%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $313 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 99% 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 $181 – 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 23%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,237 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 $1,017 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 9% 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 $1,017. 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.