Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Criciuma Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Criciuma

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $759 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,116 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,474 in Criciuma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 122% more expensive than in Criciuma, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Criciuma is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$5.91 R$30.37

35.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$20.98 R$108

128.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$5.88 R$30.21

68.20%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$1.32 R$6.77

137.12%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.06 R$5.47

80.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.77 R$3.98

96.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.58 R$8.13

97.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$1.91 R$9.80

201.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$0.95 R$4.91

51.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.51 R$7.76

64.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.06 R$5.45

66.98%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$1.96 R$10.06

51.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$8.18 R$42.07

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$3.42 R$17.60

195.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$8.35 R$42.95

71.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$2.01 R$10.34

105.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$1.20 R$6.18

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$0.94 R$4.81

139.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.58 R$8.12

42.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.23 R$6.34

65.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.09 R$5.62

41.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.83 R$4.24

40.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.67 R$3.46

95.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$2.39 R$12.29

63.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$4.63 R$23.80

202.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.12 R$5.78

55.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$1.43 R$7.34

100.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$0.99 R$5.07

23.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$38.42 R$198

109.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$0.49 R$2.53

167.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.83 R$4.26

163.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$2.28 R$11.71

282.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.31 R$6.71

4.58%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$22.9K R$117.8K

21.51%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$31.1K R$160.1K

14.90%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$71.8 R$369

146.87%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$12.08 R$62.1

14.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$21.90 R$113

35.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$28.86 R$148

55.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$39.35 R$202

-56.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.83 R$35.14

-2.64%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$163 R$836

400.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$2,918 R$15.0K

214.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$49.65 R$255

80.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$28.88 R$149

104.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$81.7 R$420

69.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$41.35 R$213

146.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$241 R$1,237

341.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$207 R$1,064

220.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$397 R$2,039

376.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$259 R$1,331

296.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$1,191 R$6,123

251.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$642 R$3,303

160.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$304 R$1,561

123.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.74

1.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $241 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 123% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $48.00 in Medellin vs $21.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $167 per month, with Criciuma cheaper across the board.

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 Criciuma: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Criciuma is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 123% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Medellin versus $241 in Criciuma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Criciuma runs roughly 109% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $163 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $759 in Criciuma versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Criciuma but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Criciuma the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Criciuma is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Criciuma gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.