Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Covilha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Covilha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,589 per month in Medellin vs $1,200 in Covilha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,364 per month in Medellin vs $1,873 in Covilha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,139 per month in Medellin vs $2,547 in Covilha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Covilha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Covilha is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

$8.80 €7.82

-8.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

$36.08 €32.05

29.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

$6.88 €6.11

37.06%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

$1.32 €1.17

120.45%

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

$1.71 €1.52

2.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

$1.13 €1.01

16.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

$1.94 €1.72

61.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

$1.47 €1.31

277.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

$1.02 €0.91

38.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

$1.02 €0.90

139.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

$1.31 €1.16

24.43%

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

$2.69 €2.39

4.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

$7.53 €6.69

28.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

$6.81 €6.05

36.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

$11.10 €9.86

21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

$1.78 €1.58

124.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

$1.24 €1.10

19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

$1.42 €1.26

49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

$2.42 €2.15

-7.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

$1.33 €1.18

43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

$1.80 €1.60

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

$1.46 €1.30

-21.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

$0.43 €0.39

193.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

$5.77 €5.13

-33.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

$3.03 €2.70

332.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

$0.98 €0.87

63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

$1.39 €1.23

62.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

$1.96 €1.74

-40.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

$43.42 €38.58

72.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

$4.60 €4.08

-72.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

$2.04 €1.81

-37.75%

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

$33.5K €29.8K

-20.10%

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

$37.8K €33.6K

-9.02%

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

$162 COP 523.6K

$130 €115

24.99%

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

$19.89 €17.67

-34.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

$38.63 €34.32

-27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

$41.87 €37.20

5.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

$10.04 €8.92

62.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

$8.35 €7.42

-27.07%

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

$764 COP 2.5M

$85.8 €76.2

790.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

$6,183 €5,493

44.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

$77.3 €68.7

9.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

$20.87 €18.54

175.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

$105 €93.3

25.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

$165 €147

-42.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$495 €440

107.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

$391 €347

54.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

$943 €838

91.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

$791 €703

25.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

$1,760 €1,564

122.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

$684 €607

139.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

$1,028 €913

-39.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

3.45

217.10%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for Covilha: October 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $495 in Covilha. 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 64% higher in Covilha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Covilha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $193 – making Covilha 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 Covilha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,384 per month in Medellin and $1,800 in Covilha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 50% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $36.00 in Covilha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Covilha, where all-in costs run around $1,200, than in Medellin at $1,589. In Covilha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Covilha. 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.