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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $768 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,230 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,691 in Cachoeirinha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Cachoeirinha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Cachoeirinha are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cachoeirinha 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$4.16 R$21.05

43.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$18.02 R$91.2

84.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$3.80 R$19.22

90.26%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.93 R$9.78

-15.54%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.61 R$3.10

78.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.42 R$2.14

73.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.66 R$8.39

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.66 R$13.49

21.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.84 R$4.28

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.43 R$7.24

-9.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.05 R$5.31

25.71%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.11 R$10.67

7.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$10.85 R$54.9

-59.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.62 R$23.40

27.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.63 R$48.74

-10.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.04 R$10.31

10.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.26 R$6.39

-15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.27 R$6.43

19.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.45 R$7.33

-2.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.14 R$5.76

2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.03 R$5.23

13.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.72 R$3.63

23.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.62 R$3.13

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.98 R$10.02

13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$7.46 R$37.76

47.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.99 R$5.00

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.79 R$9.08

32.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.88 R$4.47

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.51 R$195

8.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.65 R$8.37

-14.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.01 R$5.13

88.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.43 R$27.47

42.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.07 R$5.41

-5.61%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$23.9K R$121.2K

-26.59%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.5K R$139.3K

-3.69%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.2 R$310

36.84%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.42 R$73.0

-34.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$20.14 R$102

19.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.58 R$114

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.20 R$107

-9.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.21 R$31.43

-33.98%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$308 R$1,561

1.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$7,345 R$37.2K

-18.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$48.61 R$246

19.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$56.2 R$284

-42.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$82.0 R$415

21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$64.2 R$325

69.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$315 R$1,597

52.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$217 R$1,099

74.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$573 R$2,903

46.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$423 R$2,141

70.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,718 R$8,696

65.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,075 R$5,443

13.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$612 R$3,096

-11.57%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Cachoeirinha: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $315 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 13% 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. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $189 – making Cachoeirinha 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 Cachoeirinha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Medellin, $768 in Cachoeirinha – roughly 32% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,152 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $308 in Cachoeirinha. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 0% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cachoeirinha, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $768 in Cachoeirinha to $1,017 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.