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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $728 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,160 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,592 in Canoinhas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 40% 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

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$3.65 R$18.56

62.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$27.95 R$142

18.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$5.43 R$27.57

31.12%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,458

$1.09 R$5.56

56.88%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$1.03 R$5.23

1.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.44 R$2.23

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.27 R$6.46

35.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$2.01 R$10.23

57.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$0.85 R$4.30

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.05 R$5.34

24.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$0.80 R$4.07

66.25%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$1.22 R$6.22

86.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$5.86 R$29.76

-24.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.70 R$18.80

60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$6.85 R$34.82

26.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$1.49 R$7.56

57.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$0.74 R$3.78

48.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$0.74 R$3.74

98.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.22 R$6.21

13.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$0.88 R$4.48

32.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$0.52 R$2.62

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.56 R$2.87

60.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.56 R$2.83

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$1.92 R$9.77

21.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$8.33 R$42.30

43.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.25 R$6.33

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$1.25 R$6.33

93.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.87 R$4.43

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$37.93 R$193

7.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$1.20 R$6.10

17.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$0.71 R$3.59

169.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$5.29 R$26.87

48.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$0.99 R$5.04

-5.05%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$17.0K R$86.6K

4.56%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$22.7K R$115.2K

19.38%

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

$83.3 COP 266.5K

$75.8 R$385

9.86%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$13.83 R$70.2

-30.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$20.85 R$106

16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$22.83 R$116

10.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$21.83 R$111

-11.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$5.89 R$29.94

-30.90%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$128 R$650

139.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$4,488 R$22.8K

33.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$52.2 R$265

14.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$44.26 R$225

-26.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$83.2 R$423

21.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$53.1 R$270

103.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$312 R$1,585

52.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$219 R$1,114

72.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$584 R$2,968

39.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$436 R$2,214

62.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,641 R$8,335

94.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,174 R$5,963

23.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$343 R$1,741

81.37%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Canoinhas: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $312 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 81% 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 $28.00 in Canoinhas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 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 40% 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,092 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 $307 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 35% 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 $728, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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 $728 versus $1,018 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.