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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $659 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,083 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,507 in Cabo Frio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 155% more than Cabo Frio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Cabo Frio is 52% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.68 R$29.20

41.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$28.69 R$148

66.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$6.66 R$34.27

48.50%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.65 R$8.50

89.70%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.33 R$6.86

43.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.51 R$2.60

196.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.20 R$6.16

160.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.92 R$9.89

199.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.80 R$4.10

80.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.53 R$7.89

62.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$0.75 R$3.84

136.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.54 R$7.89

92.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$7.97 R$40.97

26.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.30 R$16.95

206.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.26 R$47.62

54.43%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.84 R$9.46

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.15 R$5.93

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.94 R$4.84

139.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.19 R$6.11

89.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$0.63 R$3.23

223.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.82 R$4.22

87.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.56 R$2.90

108.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.60 R$3.08

118.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.55 R$7.95

151.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.79 R$29.75

141.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.99 R$5.10

75.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.34 R$6.90

114.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.34 R$6.88

-8.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$78.2 R$402

2.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.27 R$6.55

3.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.74 R$3.79

195.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$7.70 R$39.57

13.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.20 R$6.19

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$20.6K R$106.0K

35.07%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$30.0K R$154.2K

19.27%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$57.8 R$297

206.69%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$7.45 R$38.28

86.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$13.16 R$67.7

125.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$21.06 R$108

113.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$4.60 R$23.65

44.57%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$141 R$722

478.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$2,574 R$13.2K

256.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$45.23 R$233

97.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$38.66 R$199

52.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$54.4 R$280

154.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$45.85 R$236

122.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$430 R$2,211

147.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$115 R$591

476.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$649 R$3,337

190.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$272 R$1,398

277.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$276 R$1,418

145.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.67

2.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cabo Frio: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $430 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 146% 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 $29.00 in Cabo Frio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $159 – 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 155%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $989 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 $1,681 in Medellin and $659 in Cabo Frio. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 3% 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 $659, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.