Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Cotia

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $790 in Cotia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Cotia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,759 in Cotia, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Cotia, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Cotia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Cotia 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$6.27 R$31.83

-5.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$32.79 R$166

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.14 R$36.24

4.06%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.82 R$9.22

-9.34%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.19 R$6.03

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.85 R$4.32

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.83 R$9.26

-6.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.85 R$14.45

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$1.03 R$5.21

6.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.55 R$7.88

-18.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.30 R$6.62

6.15%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$2.41 R$12.21

-9.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.09 R$41.04

-44.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.76 R$19.10

53.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$8.89 R$45.12

0.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.28 R$11.56

1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.74 R$8.81

-39.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.42 R$7.21

7.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.52 R$7.72

-10.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.24 R$6.32

-8.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.09 R$5.55

7.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.74 R$3.73

21.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.62 R$3.14

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.57 R$13.06

-13.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.52 R$43.23

42.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.35 R$6.87

-11.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.33 R$11.81

6.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.87 R$4.41

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$39.07 R$198

6.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$0.91 R$4.63

56.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.74 R$3.77

163.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$8.41 R$42.66

-6.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.05 R$5.33

-5.71%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$21.8K R$110.9K

-19.43%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.9K R$141.8K

-4.10%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$46.66 R$237

77.90%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.07 R$66.3

-25.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.91 R$96.0

24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.21 R$113

13.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$22.02 R$112

-13.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$5.53 R$28.07

-28.57%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$315 R$1,598

0.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,956 R$35.3K

-14.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$51.3 R$260

17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$42.17 R$214

-24.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$79.8 R$405

27.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$72.7 R$369

47.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$315 R$1,599

50.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$214 R$1,084

75.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$580 R$2,941

46.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$426 R$2,160

69.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,500 R$7,610

117.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,271 R$6,448

13.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Cotia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $315 in Cotia. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Cotia. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $190 in Cotia – so Cotia wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Cotia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin costs about 27% more than Cotia, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,184 in Cotia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $33.00 in Cotia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $790 in Cotia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cotia, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Cotia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cotia costs $790 versus $1,003 in Medellin. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Cotia. 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.