Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Campinas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Campinas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Campinas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,456 in Campinas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,037 in Campinas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 18% more than Campinas, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Campinas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Campinas 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$7.36 R$37.60

-16.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$32.07 R$164

1.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.63 R$33.90

10.71%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$1.75 R$8.93

-1.71%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$1.28 R$6.53

-17.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.79 R$4.02

-2.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.78 R$9.09

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.72 R$13.89

16.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.03 R$5.25

1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.81 R$9.23

-28.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.14 R$5.84

22.81%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.37 R$12.13

-8.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.91 R$50.7

-55.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.17 R$21.33

41.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.34 R$42.62

3.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.07 R$10.59

10.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$1.68 R$8.58

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.38 R$7.05

10.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.66 R$8.48

-18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$1.40 R$7.16

-19.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.35 R$6.90

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.95 R$4.84

-10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.65 R$3.31

40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$1.79 R$9.14

30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$8.07 R$41.23

53.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.32 R$6.73

-9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.05 R$10.46

21.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.98 R$5.01

-14.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$38.14 R$195

6.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$1.16 R$5.93

22.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$0.58 R$2.95

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.52 R$38.45

1.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$1.06 R$5.43

-6.60%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$22.1K R$113.0K

-18.43%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$28.5K R$145.4K

-6.42%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$52.8 R$270

52.93%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$16.37 R$83.7

-39.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$22.16 R$113

9.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$24.54 R$125

2.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$31.37 R$160

-38.95%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.06 R$36.11

-43.63%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$331 R$1,691

-7.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$8,812 R$45.0K

-31.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$55.6 R$284

4.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$56.3 R$288

-42.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$75.1 R$384

34.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$77.5 R$396

38.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$351 R$1,794

35.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$255 R$1,304

47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$804 R$4,107

5.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$616 R$3,151

18.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,108 R$10.8K

52.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,236 R$6,317

11.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$631 R$3,223

-2.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.17

20.23%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Campinas: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $351 in Campinas. 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 2% higher in Campinas, 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 $32.00 in Campinas. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $198 in Campinas – 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 Campinas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 18% more than Campinas, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,314 in Campinas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $32.00 in Campinas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Campinas, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Campinas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Campinas costs $876 versus $1,031 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Campinas. 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.