Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caruaru Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caruaru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $584 in Caruaru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $958 in Caruaru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,333 in Caruaru.

Living in Medellin is roughly 72% more expensive than in Caruaru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Caruaru 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.50 R$22.83

31.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$27.43 R$139

20.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.45 R$32.73

15.19%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.64 R$8.33

0.61%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.99 R$5.01

11.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.34 R$1.74

129.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.09 R$5.54

57.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$1.41 R$7.16

125.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.13 R$5.72

-2.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$0.95 R$4.82

32.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.92 R$4.67

50.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.50 R$12.70

-12.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$3.51 R$17.83

27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$2.64 R$13.37

119.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.95 R$30.19

50.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.23 R$6.22

88.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$0.86 R$4.37

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$0.79 R$4.02

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.03 R$5.22

32.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.79 R$4.02

43.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.87 R$4.43

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.38 R$1.92

136.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 R$2.82

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.69 R$13.63

-17.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.79 R$39.51

55.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.45 R$7.35

-17.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.87 R$14.56

-13.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.79 R$4.00

7.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$23.88 R$121

74.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.84 R$9.35

-22.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.63 R$3.19

209.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$2.81 R$14.24

180.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.78 R$3.94

26.92%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$19.1K R$97.1K

-8.03%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$28.6K R$145.2K

-6.32%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$50.5 R$256

64.31%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.37 R$37.40

31.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$8.84 R$44.86

166.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$13.63 R$69.2

85.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$27.06 R$137

-29.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.62 R$33.59

-40.33%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$98.7 R$501

220.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,131 R$31.1K

-2.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$35.53 R$180

68.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$45.01 R$228

-29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$112 R$570

-9.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$59.3 R$301

81.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$149 R$754

219.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$117 R$593

220.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$325 R$1,647

161.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$234 R$1,190

206.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$258 R$1,307

142.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Caruaru: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $149 in Caruaru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 142% 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 Caruaru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $136 per month, with Caruaru 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 Caruaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Caruaru differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $584 including rent). Caruaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $149 in Caruaru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $98.7 in Caruaru. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $584 in Caruaru versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Caruaru but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Caruaru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Caruaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.