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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $789 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,304 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,819 in Embu das Artes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Embu das Artes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Embu das Artes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Embu das Artes 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$6.36 R$32.20

-6.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$33.52 R$170

-0.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.39 R$37.43

-2.17%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.87 R$9.48

-12.83%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.24 R$6.27

-12.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.91 R$4.60

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.79 R$9.05

-2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.95 R$14.92

9.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.01 R$5.12

3.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.50 R$7.62

-14.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.31 R$6.65

0.76%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.37 R$12.00

-4.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$8.43 R$42.66

-48.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.76 R$19.02

56.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.54 R$43.24

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.17 R$11.00

3.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.75 R$8.84

-38.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.47 R$7.43

3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.54 R$7.78

-7.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.31 R$6.61

-10.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.13 R$5.70

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.81 R$4.08

9.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.62 R$3.13

45.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.45 R$12.41

-8.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.46 R$42.85

30.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.35 R$6.81

-15.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.37 R$12.01

0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.87 R$4.41

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.11 R$193

10.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.91 R$4.63

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.75 R$3.81

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.75 R$44.31

-11.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.05 R$5.31

-3.81%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$21.8K R$110.4K

-19.36%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.6K R$145.0K

-7.50%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$47.33 R$240

76.80%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$13.19 R$66.8

-28.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.65 R$94.4

29.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.58 R$114

12.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.66 R$110

-11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.36 R$27.14

-23.51%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$312 R$1,577

0.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$6,805 R$34.5K

-11.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.8 R$257

14.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.01 R$213

-22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$78.3 R$397

27.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$73.0 R$369

48.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$320 R$1,620

50.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$219 R$1,109

73.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$593 R$3,000

41.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$425 R$2,153

70.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,630 R$8,252

74.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$957 R$4,847

27.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Embu das Artes: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $320 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 $34.00 in Embu das Artes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,017 in Medellin, $789 in Embu das Artes – roughly 29% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,183 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 $1,017 in Medellin and $789 in Embu das Artes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 10% 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 $789, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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 $789 in Embu das Artes to $1,017 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.