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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $739 in Cascavel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,135 in Cascavel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,531 in Cascavel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Cascavel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cascavel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Cascavel 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.92 R$55.3

-45.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$21.74 R$110

51.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.25 R$31.63

13.44%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.18 R$5.98

44.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.16 R$5.88

-5.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.49 R$2.48

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.07 R$5.39

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.05 R$10.36

49.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.87 R$4.41

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.21 R$6.14

4.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.56 R$7.91

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.94 R$9.81

12.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.65 R$48.82

-54.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.26 R$16.48

72.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.31 R$31.95

40.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.18 R$11.02

7.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.83 R$4.20

27.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.55 R$2.81

172.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.46 R$7.41

-5.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.20 R$6.08

-4.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.10 R$5.58

5.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.71 R$3.57

25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.71 R$3.58

18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.79 R$9.07

27.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$13.62 R$68.9

-21.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.62 R$8.20

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.20 R$11.14

12.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.87 R$4.41

-1.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$38.66 R$196

7.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.11 R$5.61

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.76 R$3.86

157.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.26 R$31.69

23.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.05 R$5.30

-9.52%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$21.7K R$109.6K

-16.27%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$28.9K R$146.1K

-8.28%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$53.1 R$269

54.98%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.72 R$49.16

-2.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$20.92 R$106

15.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$17.06 R$86.3

51.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$21.57 R$109

-11.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.25 R$26.57

-25.14%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$199 R$1,006

55.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,591 R$33.3K

-9.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$18.83 R$95.3

211.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$36.51 R$185

-11.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$66.2 R$335

54.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$64.0 R$324

69.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$296 R$1,495

61.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$189 R$958

100.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$477 R$2,414

75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$280 R$1,415

158.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,507 R$7,625

85.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$983 R$4,972

23.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$497 R$2,512

3.07%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cascavel: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $296 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 3% 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: $188 vs $181 – 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: $1,013 in Medellin, $739 in Cascavel – roughly 37% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,109 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 $309 per month in Medellin and $199 in Cascavel. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% 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 $739, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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 $739 in Cascavel to $1,013 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.