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: $1,031 in Medellin versus $625 in Campina Grande.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,599 in Medellin versus $1,054 in Campina Grande.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,167 in Medellin versus $1,483 in Campina Grande.

Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than in Campina Grande, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Campina Grande 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.50 R$17.87

76.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.73 R$137

21.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.46 R$33.00

13.62%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$0.88 R$4.49

95.45%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.01 R$5.15

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.53 R$2.68

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.58 R$8.08

6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 R$10.36

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.00 R$5.13

5.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.26 R$6.42

3.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.01 R$5.15

38.61%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.58 R$8.05

36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.38 R$32.63

-31.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.55 R$18.14

65.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.94 R$35.46

24.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.16 R$11.03

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.89 R$4.53

24.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.82 R$4.18

86.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.10 R$5.64

22.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.86 R$4.38

31.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.01 R$5.15

11.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.55 R$2.83

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.56 R$2.84

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.63 R$8.33

43.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.61 R$38.90

62.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.41 R$7.20

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.04 R$10.40

22.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.92 R$4.69

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$36.13 R$185

12.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.80 R$4.08

77.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.64 R$3.26

200.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.94 R$45.68

-14.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.97 R$4.95

2.06%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$17.9K R$91.5K

0.66%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$24.4K R$124.8K

9.01%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.84 R$219

88.63%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.15 R$41.66

22.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.59 R$74.6

65.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$18.62 R$95.2

34.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.27 R$109

-9.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.42 R$22.57

-9.95%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$135 R$691

125.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,277 R$21.9K

41.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.40 R$212

40.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$28.56 R$146

12.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$68.1 R$348

47.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$36.31 R$186

196.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$293 R$1,496

62.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$172 R$881

118.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$711 R$3,636

18.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$399 R$2,039

83.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$492 R$2,514

553.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$392 R$2,002

250.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$421 R$2,154

46.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Campina Grande: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $477 in Medellin and $293 in Campina Grande. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 46% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Campina Grande for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $155 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 46% 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: $477 in Medellin versus $293 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 $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Medellin versus $625 in Campina Grande – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $625 in Campina Grande versus $1,031 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 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.