Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Campina Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Campina Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,656 in Medellin versus $753 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Medellin versus $1,154 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,216 in Medellin versus $1,556 in Campina Grande.

Living in Medellin is roughly 120% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Campina Grande is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 25.4K

$4.29 R$22.23

79.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.79 COP 157.4K

$29.66 R$154

61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 COP 30.6K

$6.93 R$35.94

34.34%

Cappuccino

$3.02 COP 9,944

$0.95 R$4.95

217.89%

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

$1.79 COP 5,903

$1.06 R$5.51

68.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 COP 4,933

$0.53 R$2.74

183.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.7K

$1.60 R$8.27

103.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.9K

$2.11 R$10.96

172.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 COP 4,689

$1.20 R$6.25

18.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 COP 8,301

$1.64 R$8.48

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,508

$1.06 R$5.52

57.55%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,290

$1.81 R$9.39

55.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.25 COP 33.8K

$6.75 R$34.99

51.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.47 COP 31.2K

$4.05 R$21.00

133.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.91 COP 45.8K

$7.84 R$40.68

77.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 COP 13.6K

$1.38 R$7.17

198.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 COP 5,126

$1.32 R$6.82

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 COP 7,274

$0.73 R$3.78

202.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 COP 7,444

$1.21 R$6.26

86.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,542

$1.20 R$6.24

65.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,860

$1.07 R$5.54

38.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,778

$0.47 R$2.46

144.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 4,093

$0.70 R$3.61

77.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.96 COP 13.0K

$1.79 R$9.31

121.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.63 COP 44.9K

$7.89 R$40.92

72.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 COP 5,511

$1.11 R$5.77

50.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 COP 9,044

$1.51 R$7.82

82.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,847

$0.99 R$5.16

18.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.5 COP 261.9K

$39.22 R$203

102.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,212

$0.86 R$4.47

48.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 COP 7,117

$0.73 R$3.76

195.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 COP 27.3K

$3.38 R$17.51

144.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,443

$1.19 R$6.15

13.45%

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

$27.4K COP 90.2M

$18.8K R$97.7K

45.46%

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

$36.0K COP 118.7M

$32.1K R$166.5K

12.25%

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

$173 COP 570.1K

$114 R$589

52.49%

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

$13.73 COP 45.2K

$9.62 R$49.88

42.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.34 COP 93.3K

$17.42 R$90.3

62.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.27 COP 145.8K

$19.20 R$99.6

130.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.63 COP 54.8K

$29.14 R$151

-42.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.58 COP 21.7K

$4.87 R$25.24

35.11%

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

$799 COP 2.6M

$82.9 R$430

863.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,089 COP 29.9M

$11.8K R$61.1K

-22.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.9 COP 289.4K

$36.60 R$190

140.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 192.6K

$27.15 R$141

115.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 455.6K

$70.7 R$367

95.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 COP 321.0K

$42.70 R$221

128.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,033 COP 3.4M

$261 R$1,354

295.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$194 R$1,007

232.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,847 COP 6.1M

$590 R$3,061

213.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 COP 3.4M

$344 R$1,786

197.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,108 COP 13.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,678 COP 5.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$651 COP 2.1M

$391 R$2,029

66.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

118.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 22, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,033 in Medellin and $261 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 67% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $30.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $168 per month, with Campina Grande cheaper across the board.

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 Campina Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Campina Grande is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,033 in Medellin versus $261 in Campina Grande. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Campina Grande – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,656 per month in Medellin versus $753 in Campina Grande – a 120% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $753 in Campina Grande versus $1,656 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Campina Grande but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Campina Grande the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Campina Grande is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Campina Grande gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.