Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Canoinhas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Canoinhas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $718 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,134 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,550 in Canoinhas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 41% more than Canoinhas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Canoinhas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Canoinhas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$3.66 R$19.01

63.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.9K

$27.43 R$142

19.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$5.47 R$28.40

29.62%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,146

$1.09 R$5.67

56.88%

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

$1.10 COP 3,944

$1.07 R$5.55

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,795

$0.47 R$2.43

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,028

$1.28 R$6.66

31.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.00 R$10.37

53.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,925

$0.89 R$4.60

22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,530

$1.10 R$5.72

14.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,947

$0.84 R$4.39

64.29%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,867

$1.22 R$6.35

79.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$5.92 R$30.74

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$3.66 R$19.02

53.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.9K

$6.78 R$35.20

31.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,391

$1.56 R$8.11

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,796

$0.71 R$3.68

49.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,401

$0.70 R$3.65

114.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,949

$1.22 R$6.35

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,132

$0.94 R$4.87

22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,176

$0.56 R$2.90

107.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,198

$0.51 R$2.67

74.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,012

$0.52 R$2.72

61.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,186

$2.03 R$10.55

12.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$8.41 R$43.64

26.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,305

$1.23 R$6.39

-2.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,869

$1.27 R$6.61

94.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,072

$0.87 R$4.52

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.6K

$38.73 R$201

6.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,290

$1.24 R$6.46

18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,045

$0.70 R$3.61

180.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$5.41 R$28.10

43.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,426

$1.00 R$5.22

-5.00%

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

$18.1K COP 65.1M

$17.0K R$88.3K

6.58%

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

$26.5K COP 95.1M

$22.9K R$118.8K

15.73%

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

$82.3 COP 295.2K

$76.8 R$399

7.10%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$13.94 R$72.4

-31.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.0K

$20.62 R$107

17.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.9K

$22.93 R$119

12.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.2K

$21.72 R$113

-12.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$5.90 R$30.62

-33.39%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$128 R$663

142.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$4,554 R$23.6K

30.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.5K

$52.5 R$272

11.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.1K

$45.59 R$237

-29.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.2K

$83.3 R$433

23.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.2K

$53.9 R$280

101.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$311 R$1,615

53.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$218 R$1,134

73.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$586 R$3,045

42.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$432 R$2,245

67.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,601 R$8,314

74.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,175 R$6,100

3.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$351 R$1,820

45.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.4

59.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Canoinhas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $311 in Canoinhas. 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 46% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Canoinhas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $143 – making Canoinhas 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 Canoinhas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 41% more than Canoinhas, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,077 in Canoinhas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $128 in Canoinhas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 31% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Canoinhas, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Canoinhas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Canoinhas costs $718 versus $1,013 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 Canoinhas. 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.