Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caxias do Sul Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Caxias do Sul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $678 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,508 in Caxias do Sul, rent included.

Medellin costs about 52% more than Caxias do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Caxias do Sul are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Caxias do Sul 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.21 R$31.60

-0.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$27.32 R$139

19.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.36 R$32.39

15.41%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.32 R$6.70

30.30%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.11 R$5.66

-5.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.64 R$3.27

20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.84 R$9.37

-8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$3.65 R$18.59

-13.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.78 R$3.96

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.30 R$6.61

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.88 R$4.50

59.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.76 R$8.94

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.35 R$32.35

-30.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.46 R$17.61

69.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.96 R$40.51

8.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.48 R$7.53

54.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.00 R$5.09

11.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.51 R$2.61

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.45 R$7.37

-6.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.94 R$4.78

20.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.61 R$3.13

85.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.75 R$3.82

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.58 R$2.94

56.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.96 R$9.97

19.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.86 R$19.66

220.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.02 R$5.18

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.82 R$9.27

36.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.24 R$6.29

-32.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.99 R$199

4.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.66 R$8.45

-14.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.01 R$5.15

90.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$5.36 R$27.31

42.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.04 R$5.28

-4.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.3K R$123.6K

-25.73%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.1K R$143.2K

-5.31%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$50.8 R$259

59.14%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.84 R$75.6

-32.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.45 R$94.0

31.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$23.51 R$120

6.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$53.3 R$272

-64.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.35 R$32.31

-37.32%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$310 R$1,580

-1.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,087 R$36.1K

-14.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$42.78 R$218

35.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$40.17 R$205

-19.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$82.3 R$419

22.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$62.2 R$317

73.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$182 R$928

161.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$147 R$748

156.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$442 R$2,248

91.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$256 R$1,302

185.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,688 R$8,592

90.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,218 R$6,199

12.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$534 R$2,719

15.51%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Caxias do Sul: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $182 in Caxias do Sul. 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 16% 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 $27.00 in Caxias do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $145 – making Caxias do Sul 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 Caxias do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $678 in Caxias do Sul – roughly 52% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,017 in Caxias do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 4% less in Caxias do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $310 in Caxias do Sul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Caxias do Sul, where all-in costs run around $678, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Caxias do Sul 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 $678 in Caxias do Sul to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Caxias do Sul. 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.