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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $692 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,495 in Contagem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Contagem are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Contagem 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.37 R$22.10

37.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$18.32 R$92.7

79.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.69 R$28.80

24.60%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.27 R$6.44

34.65%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.93 R$4.71

18.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.47 R$2.38

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.14 R$5.79

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.26 R$11.45

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.93 R$4.70

17.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.53 R$7.72

-17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.56 R$7.89

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.61 R$8.16

36.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.90 R$39.97

-44.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.21 R$16.24

75.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$5.11 R$25.87

73.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.85 R$9.36

26.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.34 R$6.76

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.88 R$4.47

70.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.36 R$6.87

1.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.02 R$5.16

12.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.81 R$4.07

43.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.69 R$3.49

28.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.63 R$3.20

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.13 R$10.76

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.96 R$30.17

78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.03 R$5.20

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.22 R$11.21

11.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$1.34 R$6.77

-35.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$72.3 R$366

-42.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.93 R$4.71

58.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.97 R$4.92

102.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.94 R$40.20

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.03 R$5.20

-7.77%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$25.0K R$126.6K

-27.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$29.1K R$147.3K

-9.01%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$64.2 R$325

28.16%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$14.08 R$71.2

-32.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.13 R$81.6

50.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$24.20 R$122

6.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$21.68 R$110

-12.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.39 R$32.34

-38.50%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$134 R$677

131.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,853 R$34.7K

-12.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$51.8 R$262

13.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$37.65 R$190

-14.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$73.3 R$371

40.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$63.8 R$323

70.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$203 R$1,027

134.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$118 R$596

221.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$436 R$2,208

92.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$266 R$1,345

172.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,949 R$9,860

43.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,002 R$5,067

20.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$256 R$1,293

100.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Contagem: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $203 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 100% 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: $188 vs $156 – 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 46%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,038 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 75% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $309 per month in Medellin and $134 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 $692, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.