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: $1,013 in Medellin versus $668 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $986 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,192 in Medellin versus $1,305 in Criciuma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 52% more expensive than Criciuma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Criciuma 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$4.92 R$25.45

21.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$21.56 R$111

52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$5.30 R$27.40

33.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,155

$1.22 R$6.29

40.16%

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

$1.10 COP 3,950

$0.86 R$4.42

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,799

$0.56 R$2.91

39.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,037

$1.58 R$8.19

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.52 R$7.84

101.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,931

$0.85 R$4.40

28.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,537

$1.23 R$6.36

2.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$0.93 R$4.81

48.39%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,878

$1.85 R$9.59

18.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$8.15 R$42.14

-46.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$3.18 R$16.45

77.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$6.87 R$35.55

29.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,403

$1.93 R$9.96

21.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,802

$0.82 R$4.25

29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,409

$0.87 R$4.49

72.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,956

$1.28 R$6.59

7.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,138

$1.04 R$5.36

10.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,183

$0.97 R$5.04

19.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,203

$0.65 R$3.37

36.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.64 R$3.29

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,198

$2.51 R$12.96

-9.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.3K

$4.75 R$24.58

124.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,312

$1.07 R$5.55

12.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,882

$1.31 R$6.77

88.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,076

$0.88 R$4.54

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$32.04 R$166

29.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,298

$0.45 R$2.32

226.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,055

$1.02 R$5.27

92.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$2.20 R$11.40

251.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,431

$1.09 R$5.63

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$20.0K R$103.5K

-9.40%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$25.7K R$133.1K

2.90%

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

$82.3 COP 295.7K

$59.9 R$310

37.43%

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

$9.50 COP 34.2K

$13.94 R$72.1

-31.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$20.82 R$108

16.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$25.30 R$131

2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$21.66 R$112

-12.28%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$7.65 R$39.55

-48.63%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$125 R$647

147.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,542 R$7,975

286.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$24.14 R$125

143.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.3K

$30.08 R$156

7.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.8K

$67.1 R$347

52.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.7K

$32.03 R$166

238.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$222 R$1,151

114.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$198 R$1,023

91.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$303 R$1,568

176.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$245 R$1,269

194.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,175 R$6,077

137.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$657 R$3,399

84.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$314 R$1,626

62.76%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $222 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 63% 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: $33.00 in Medellin vs $22.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 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 52% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 63% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $222 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 29% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $309 in Medellin versus $125 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $668 in Criciuma versus $1,013 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 52% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.