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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $793 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,283 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,773 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Embu das Artes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Embu das Artes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Embu das Artes 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$6.31 R$31.50

-6.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$32.25 R$161

1.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.38 R$36.80

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$1.88 R$9.39

-9.57%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.19 R$5.95

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.90 R$4.51

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.81 R$9.04

-7.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.83 R$14.12

9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.06 R$5.28

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.51 R$7.51

-17.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.25 R$6.26

11.20%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.31 R$11.52

-2.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.12 R$40.51

-46.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$3.76 R$18.79

55.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$8.75 R$43.66

0.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.28 R$11.38

-1.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.81 R$9.05

-40.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$1.42 R$7.06

7.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.52 R$7.58

-9.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.26 R$6.30

-10.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.08 R$5.37

3.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$0.79 R$3.92

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.66 R$3.27

37.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.51 R$12.51

-7.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$9.30 R$46.40

19.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.31 R$6.53

-9.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.33 R$11.62

1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.93 R$4.65

-15.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$37.77 R$188

8.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.87 R$4.35

65.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.70 R$3.51

172.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$8.62 R$43.02

-6.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.01 R$5.02

-6.93%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$21.7K R$108.5K

-17.56%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$28.3K R$141.2K

-5.34%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$46.90 R$234

79.02%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$13.33 R$66.5

-27.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$18.73 R$93.4

28.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$22.40 R$112

15.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$21.51 R$107

-11.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$5.48 R$27.33

-28.47%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$314 R$1,568

-2.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$6,864 R$34.3K

-13.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$50.6 R$253

14.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$42.78 R$213

-25.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$77.4 R$386

29.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$72.2 R$360

48.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$314 R$1,569

54.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$214 R$1,069

71.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$594 R$2,964

39.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$436 R$2,176

64.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$1,445 R$7,209

102.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$1,290 R$6,439

9.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Embu das Artes: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $314 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 $32.00 in Embu das Artes. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $192 in Embu das Artes – so Medellin 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: $1,034 in Medellin, $793 in Embu das Artes – roughly 30% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,190 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 $1,034 in Medellin and $793 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 $793, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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 $793 in Embu das Artes to $1,034 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.