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: $1,014 in Medellin versus $679 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,596 in Medellin versus $1,003 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,178 in Medellin versus $1,328 in Criciuma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 49% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$4.84 R$24.10

26.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$21.99 R$110

50.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$5.28 R$26.28

38.64%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$1.25 R$6.22

32.80%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.85 R$4.25

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.57 R$2.85

36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$1.64 R$8.17

4.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.51 R$7.52

109.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$0.86 R$4.29

29.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.29 R$6.41

1.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$0.98 R$4.86

40.82%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.77 R$8.82

25.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$7.97 R$39.71

-45.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$3.21 R$15.96

80.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$6.84 R$34.06

31.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$1.86 R$9.26

21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$0.90 R$4.46

23.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$0.85 R$4.21

71.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.25 R$6.25

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.98 R$4.89

13.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$1.02 R$5.08

13.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.70 R$3.48

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.63 R$3.12

38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$2.54 R$12.67

-7.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$4.91 R$24.45

121.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.03 R$5.13

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$1.25 R$6.24

98.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.87 R$4.34

-9.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$32.00 R$159

27.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$0.42 R$2.08

238.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$1.02 R$5.06

87.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$2.13 R$10.60

259.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.09 R$5.43

-11.01%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$19.9K R$99.1K

-9.02%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$25.6K R$127.3K

2.93%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$58.4 R$291

39.18%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$14.10 R$70.2

-31.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$20.81 R$104

17.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$24.92 R$124

4.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$21.63 R$108

-12.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$7.84 R$39.05

-50.38%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$126 R$628

141.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$1,500 R$7,469

293.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$24.63 R$123

138.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$30.13 R$150

7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$68.0 R$339

49.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$31.62 R$157

242.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$221 R$1,101

114.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$198 R$985

87.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$296 R$1,475

186.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$247 R$1,228

190.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$1,189 R$5,921

141.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$641 R$3,195

114.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$320 R$1,595

69.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.4

59.88%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $474 in Medellin and $221 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 69% 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: $33 in Medellin vs $22 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $150 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. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 69% more on average, 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: $474 in Medellin versus $221 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 27% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Medellin versus $126 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $679 in Criciuma versus $1,014 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 49% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.