Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Embu das Artes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Embu das Artes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $807 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,304 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,802 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Embu das Artes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Embu das Artes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Embu das Artes 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$6.42 R$32.84

-7.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$33.18 R$170

-0.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$7.31 R$37.42

1.64%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.86 R$9.52

-11.29%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.20 R$6.15

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.91 R$4.64

-14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.76 R$9.02

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.85 R$14.59

11.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.07 R$5.46

2.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.58 R$8.10

-20.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.27 R$6.49

8.66%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.39 R$12.24

-8.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$8.01 R$40.99

-43.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.81 R$19.52

51.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.87 R$45.40

1.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$2.20 R$11.24

5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.79 R$9.17

-40.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.40 R$7.15

8.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.58 R$8.07

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.26 R$6.46

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.08 R$5.55

8.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.78 R$4.00

15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.61 R$3.11

47.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.58 R$13.18

-13.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$8.61 R$44.07

40.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.30 R$6.65

-8.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.41 R$12.32

2.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.92 R$4.71

-7.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$38.06 R$195

9.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.87 R$4.46

63.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.71 R$3.65

174.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$8.87 R$45.38

-11.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.00 R$5.14

-1.00%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.6K R$110.3K

-18.37%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$27.9K R$142.9K

-4.04%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$47.70 R$244

74.03%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$13.17 R$67.4

-26.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$18.72 R$95.8

25.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.19 R$114

13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$21.98 R$112

-13.10%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$5.36 R$27.43

-26.31%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$314 R$1,605

0.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,818 R$34.9K

-12.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$51.5 R$264

16.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$42.07 R$215

-24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$79.3 R$406

28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$72.0 R$368

49.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$317 R$1,622

49.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$212 R$1,084

76.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$574 R$2,938

47.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$426 R$2,182

68.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,627 R$8,327

100.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,051 R$5,376

37.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Embu das Artes: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $317 in Embu das Artes. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Embu das Artes. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $191 in Embu das Artes – so Embu das Artes wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Embu das Artes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,003 in Medellin, $807 in Embu das Artes – roughly 24% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,210 in Embu das Artes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $807 in Embu das Artes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 9% less in Embu das Artes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Embu das Artes, where all-in costs run around $807, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Embu das Artes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Medellin has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $807 in Embu das Artes to $1,003 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Embu das Artes. 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.