Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cachoeirinha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cachoeirinha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $772 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,234 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,696 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 34% more than Cachoeirinha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cachoeirinha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cachoeirinha 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$4.13 R$20.63

43.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$18.18 R$90.7

80.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.93 R$19.61

83.21%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.87 R$9.31

-9.09%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.57 R$2.85

92.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.39 R$1.97

84.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.59 R$7.94

5.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.75 R$13.71

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$0.85 R$4.26

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.39 R$6.93

-10.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.04 R$5.20

33.65%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.13 R$10.63

6.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$10.93 R$54.5

-60.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$4.68 R$23.33

24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$9.51 R$47.47

-7.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.05 R$10.22

9.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.31 R$6.53

-17.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.29 R$6.43

18.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.52 R$7.59

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.09 R$5.44

3.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.06 R$5.30

5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.77 R$3.83

10.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.62 R$3.10

46.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$1.90 R$9.47

22.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.76 R$38.73

43.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.01 R$5.06

17.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.82 R$9.10

30.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.93 R$4.62

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$38.47 R$192

6.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.58 R$7.88

-8.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.01 R$5.02

89.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$5.36 R$26.75

49.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.06 R$5.29

-11.32%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$24.0K R$119.9K

-25.44%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$27.5K R$137.0K

-2.41%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$61.5 R$307

36.52%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.64 R$73.1

-34.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$19.78 R$98.7

22.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.50 R$112

15.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.64 R$108

-12.01%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$6.47 R$32.27

-39.41%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$314 R$1,565

-2.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,064 R$35.3K

-16.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$49.59 R$247

16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$57.4 R$286

-44.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$82.0 R$409

21.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$62.1 R$310

72.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$310 R$1,546

57.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$213 R$1,061

73.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$574 R$2,862

43.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$432 R$2,154

65.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,640 R$8,183

78.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,109 R$5,536

26.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$627 R$3,127

-12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for Cachoeirinha: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $310 in Cachoeirinha. 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 15% higher in Cachoeirinha, 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 $18.00 in Cachoeirinha. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $191 in Cachoeirinha – 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 Cachoeirinha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,034 in Medellin, $772 in Cachoeirinha – roughly 34% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,158 in Cachoeirinha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cachoeirinha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $306 per month in Medellin and $314 in Cachoeirinha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeirinha, where all-in costs run around $772, than in Medellin at $1,034. In Cachoeirinha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $772 in Cachoeirinha to $1,034 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cachoeirinha. 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.