Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Contagem Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Contagem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $671 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,088 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,504 in Contagem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 54% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Contagem 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.60 R$23.40

33.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$17.71 R$90.2

84.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.79 R$29.46

26.77%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.24 R$6.31

38.71%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.86 R$4.36

22.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.43 R$2.18

79.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.18 R$6.02

43.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.21 R$11.26

43.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.88 R$4.47

19.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 R$7.46

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.54 R$7.86

-9.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.55 R$7.90

39.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.92 R$40.31

-44.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.18 R$16.19

84.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.24 R$26.65

64.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.84 R$9.35

23.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.28 R$6.54

-13.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.92 R$4.69

66.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.32 R$6.71

2.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.03 R$5.22

9.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.81 R$4.15

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.69 R$3.53

23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.64 R$3.25

42.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.22 R$11.31

5.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$5.89 R$29.97

110.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.04 R$5.29

15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.14 R$10.87

16.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.37 R$6.98

-38.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$73.8 R$376

-45.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.92 R$4.67

54.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.03 R$5.26

86.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.07 R$41.07

-5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.05 R$5.37

-5.71%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$24.9K R$127.0K

-27.72%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.8K R$146.8K

-7.66%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$64.0 R$326

26.21%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$14.36 R$73.1

-30.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.12 R$82.1

50.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$24.21 R$123

3.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.20 R$108

-9.67%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.31 R$32.12

-36.93%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$137 R$698

122.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,743 R$34.3K

-10.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$52.2 R$266

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$36.62 R$186

-12.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$72.0 R$367

39.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$65.8 R$335

63.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$204 R$1,036

134.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$120 R$609

214.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$439 R$2,235

92.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$265 R$1,351

175.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,976 R$10.1K

62.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$964 R$4,907

42.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$250 R$1,274

146.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.83

24.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Contagem: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $204 in Contagem. 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 146% 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 $18.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $155 – making Contagem 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 Contagem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 54%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,006 in Contagem. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 82% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Medellin and $137 in Contagem. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Contagem, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Contagem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Contagem – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Contagem. 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.