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: $1,018 in Medellin versus $691 in Criciuma.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,609 in Medellin versus $1,018 in Criciuma.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,200 in Medellin versus $1,345 in Criciuma.

Living in Medellin is roughly 47% more expensive than in Criciuma, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Criciuma 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$4.85 R$24.63

22.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$21.28 R$108

55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$5.10 R$25.87

39.61%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$1.24 R$6.31

37.90%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$0.88 R$4.47

19.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$0.57 R$2.88

26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$1.66 R$8.40

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$1.57 R$7.98

101.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$0.83 R$4.20

27.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$1.27 R$6.46

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$0.91 R$4.60

46.15%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$1.77 R$8.99

28.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$7.69 R$39.01

-42.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$3.29 R$16.69

79.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$6.72 R$34.10

28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$1.84 R$9.33

27.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$0.82 R$4.17

34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$0.91 R$4.61

61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$1.32 R$6.69

4.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$0.99 R$5.04

18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$0.98 R$4.98

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$0.71 R$3.59

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$0.59 R$3.01

42.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$2.57 R$13.05

-9.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$4.89 R$24.81

143.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$1.07 R$5.44

7.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$1.31 R$6.63

84.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$0.86 R$4.34

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

$32.05 R$163

27.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$0.42 R$2.12

235.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$1.05 R$5.33

81.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$2.21 R$11.22

254.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.09 R$5.54

-13.76%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$20.4K R$103.3K

-12.51%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$25.3K R$128.5K

6.97%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$57.9 R$294

43.77%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$13.66 R$69.3

-29.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$20.99 R$106

15.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$24.79 R$126

1.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

$21.86 R$111

-11.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$7.77 R$39.41

-47.62%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$125 R$636

144.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$1,503 R$7,626

297.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$24.52 R$124

144.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$29.38 R$149

11.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$68.7 R$349

47.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$31.32 R$159

244.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$218 R$1,108

117.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$196 R$993

93.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$294 R$1,491

177.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$246 R$1,248

187.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,186 R$6,019

168.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$639 R$3,244

126.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$309 R$1,567

101.29%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Criciuma: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $476 in Medellin and $218 in Criciuma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 101% 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 $21.00 in Criciuma for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $148 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 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 101% 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: $476 in Medellin versus $218 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 $307 in Medellin versus $125 in Criciuma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $691 in Criciuma versus $1,018 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 47% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.