Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cascavel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cascavel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $743 in Cascavel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,115 in Cascavel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,488 in Cascavel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Cascavel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cascavel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Cascavel 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$10.83 R$55.3

-43.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.82 R$112

49.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.13 R$31.33

19.74%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.21 R$6.18

42.15%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.21 R$6.19

-13.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.46 R$2.33

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.06 R$5.39

59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 R$10.40

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.93 R$4.75

12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.21 R$6.17

7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.56 R$7.95

-10.26%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$2.01 R$10.27

7.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$9.65 R$49.33

-54.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.20 R$16.36

83.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.14 R$31.38

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$2.19 R$11.21

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.79 R$4.06

40.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.57 R$2.89

168.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.47 R$7.50

-8.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.16 R$5.93

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.07 R$5.46

5.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.69 R$3.54

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.69 R$3.53

31.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.72 R$8.80

36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$12.88 R$65.8

-3.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.68 R$8.57

-28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.18 R$11.13

14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.87 R$4.42

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.67 R$198

4.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.07 R$5.45

32.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.69 R$3.55

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.56 R$33.54

16.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.08 R$5.54

-8.33%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.4K R$109.2K

-15.59%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.4K R$150.1K

-9.35%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$52.2 R$267

54.96%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.73 R$49.75

2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$21.45 R$110

12.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$16.61 R$84.9

50.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.95 R$112

-12.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.53 R$28.26

-28.03%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$195 R$999

56.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,378 R$32.6K

-5.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$18.77 R$95.9

209.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.85 R$183

-10.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$67.2 R$343

49.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$64.1 R$328

68.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$300 R$1,532

58.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$186 R$953

101.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$462 R$2,361

82.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$280 R$1,430

161.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,453 R$7,425

121.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$968 R$4,945

41.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$492 R$2,516

25.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Cascavel: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $300 in Cascavel. 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 25% 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 $22.00 in Cascavel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $180 – making Cascavel 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 Cascavel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $743 in Cascavel – roughly 39% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,114 in Cascavel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $195 in Cascavel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Cascavel, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Cascavel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $743 in Cascavel to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Cascavel. 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.