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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $722 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,164 in Canoinhas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,605 in Canoinhas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Canoinhas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Canoinhas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Canoinhas 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$3.56 R$17.68

66.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$27.57 R$137

20.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$5.48 R$27.24

32.30%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.11 R$5.49

54.05%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.03 R$5.09

5.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.47 R$2.33

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$1.24 R$6.16

41.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$1.94 R$9.64

63.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.85 R$4.22

24.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.09 R$5.42

19.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.84 R$4.18

64.29%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$1.22 R$6.05

81.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$5.84 R$29.02

-22.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$3.78 R$18.79

53.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$6.87 R$34.17

30.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.51 R$7.52

51.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$0.74 R$3.65

43.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$0.70 R$3.47

115.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.29 R$6.43

5.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$0.87 R$4.32

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.52 R$2.59

125.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.52 R$2.59

59.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.51 R$2.55

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$1.93 R$9.57

21.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.88 R$39.18

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$1.28 R$6.36

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.24 R$6.16

99.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.87 R$4.31

-9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$39.11 R$194

7.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.21 R$6.01

19.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$0.71 R$3.52

167.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.49 R$27.28

40.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$0.95 R$4.70

8.42%

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$16.8K R$83.5K

5.24%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$22.8K R$113.3K

18.55%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$74.6 R$371

9.08%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$13.96 R$69.4

-32.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$20.90 R$104

13.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$22.62 R$112

14.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$21.75 R$108

-11.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$5.81 R$28.86

-30.29%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$127 R$633

145.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$4,556 R$22.6K

33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$53.2 R$264

10.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$45.57 R$226

-27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$83.6 R$415

20.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$54.3 R$270

95.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$317 R$1,577

54.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$216 R$1,073

71.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$590 R$2,931

42.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$434 R$2,158

64.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,709 R$8,496

72.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,192 R$5,926

16.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$357 R$1,773

49.14%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Canoinhas: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $317 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 49% 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 in Medellin versus $28 in Canoinhas. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $142 – 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 43% 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,083 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 $312 per month in Medellin and $127 in Canoinhas. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $722, than in Medellin at $1,030. 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 $722 versus $1,030 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.