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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $688 in Cascavel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,033 in Cascavel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,377 in Cascavel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Cascavel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Cascavel is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.3K

$8.90 R$45.59

-9.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 151.0K

$23.05 R$118

107.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.2K

$6.62 R$33.95

49.40%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,873

$1.54 R$7.89

103.25%

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

$1.91 COP 6,019

$1.07 R$5.50

78.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,763

$0.56 R$2.86

169.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,853

$1.15 R$5.89

171.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.1K

$2.20 R$11.29

161.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,558

$1.00 R$5.14

44.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,843

$1.30 R$6.68

91.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,595

$1.65 R$8.48

7.27%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,336

$2.11 R$10.83

40.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.8K

$10.23 R$52.4

-1.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.9K

$3.42 R$17.52

195.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.1K

$6.65 R$34.06

115.04%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.0K

$2.29 R$11.73

80.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,073

$0.89 R$4.57

80.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,083

$0.61 R$3.10

268.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,104

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,444

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,842

$1.15 R$5.88

33.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,691

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,121

$0.70 R$3.57

87.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$1.86 R$9.53

109.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.2K

$13.37 R$68.5

4.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,498

$1.79 R$9.16

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,053

$2.38 R$12.21

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,834

$0.88 R$4.50

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 253.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,129

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,899

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,306

$1.19 R$6.12

15.13%

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

$27.8K COP 87.8M

$26.4K R$135.3K

5.45%

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

$35.8K COP 112.8M

$32.5K R$166.6K

10.05%

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

$177 COP 559.3K

$56.0 R$287

216.61%

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

$13.88 COP 43.8K

$10.48 R$53.7

32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 93.8K

$22.76 R$117

30.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 141.6K

$18.32 R$93.9

144.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.0K

$5.94 R$30.46

11.95%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$214 R$1,098

279.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 282.3K

$20.14 R$103

344.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 186.0K

$39.18 R$201

50.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 435.9K

$70.9 R$363

94.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 322.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$321 R$1,643

231.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$202 R$1,033

228.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$511 R$2,617

269.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$303 R$1,551

239.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.2M

$1,470 R$7,533

184.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$984 R$5,045

70.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$480 R$2,459

41.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cascavel: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $321 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 41% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $23.00 in Cascavel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $176 – 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: $1,681 in Medellin, $688 in Cascavel – roughly 144% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,032 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $23.00 in Cascavel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% 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 $688, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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 $688 in Cascavel to $1,681 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.