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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $754 in Contagem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,224 in Contagem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,694 in Contagem, rent included.

Medellin costs about 123% more than Contagem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Contagem is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.79 R$29.76

38.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$29.24 R$150

63.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.02 R$36.12

40.88%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.72 R$8.87

81.98%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.31 R$6.74

45.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.59 R$3.04

155.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.24 R$6.40

151.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.50 R$12.87

130.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.96 R$4.95

50.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.73 R$8.91

43.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.35 R$6.94

31.11%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.97 R$10.14

50.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.74 R$50.1

3.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.38 R$17.40

199.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$7.17 R$36.87

99.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.93 R$9.91

114.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.13 R$5.79

42.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.93 R$4.79

141.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.54 R$7.94

46.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.07 R$5.52

90.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$0.95 R$4.86

62.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.81 R$4.19

44.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.76 R$3.90

72.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$1.52 R$7.82

156.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$5.98 R$30.72

134.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$0.93 R$4.81

87.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.33 R$6.85

115.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.44 R$7.39

-15.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$77.6 R$399

3.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.11 R$5.70

18.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.74 R$3.81

195.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$6.39 R$32.86

36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.28 R$6.60

7.03%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$23.2K R$119.5K

19.74%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$31.1K R$160.1K

14.87%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$72.7 R$374

143.85%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$9.46 R$48.64

46.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$18.85 R$96.9

57.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$25.74 R$132

74.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$22.93 R$118

-25.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.80 R$34.95

-2.21%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$143 R$736

467.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$2,521 R$13.0K

264.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$59.6 R$306

50.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$46.58 R$240

26.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$64.6 R$332

113.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$46.45 R$239

119.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$218 R$1,120

387.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$150 R$769

343.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$464 R$2,387

306.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$321 R$1,651

219.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,951 R$10.0K

114.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$974 R$5,008

71.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$250 R$1,288

170.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.67

2.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Contagem: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $218 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 171% 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 $29.00 in Contagem. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $172 – 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 123%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,131 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 4% less in Contagem. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $813 per month in Medellin and $143 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 $754, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.