Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Governador Valadares Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Governador Valadares

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $609 in Governador Valadares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,009 in Governador Valadares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,409 in Governador Valadares.

Living in Medellin is roughly 65% more expensive than in Governador Valadares, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Governador Valadares 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$4.12 R$20.92

43.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$25.06 R$127

31.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.26 R$31.76

18.69%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.74 R$8.84

-5.17%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.88 R$4.45

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.35 R$1.77

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.46 R$7.42

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.14 R$10.85

48.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.87 R$4.41

26.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.20 R$6.07

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.94 R$4.77

46.81%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.61 R$8.16

35.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.85 R$34.75

-34.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.14 R$15.95

84.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$4.83 R$24.51

85.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$1.95 R$9.87

18.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.27 R$6.46

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.07 R$5.42

42.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.10 R$5.58

23.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.16 R$5.86

-2.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.11 R$5.62

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.63 R$3.21

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.56 R$2.86

60.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.42 R$7.23

57.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$5.77 R$29.29

110.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$0.74 R$3.76

60.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.22 R$6.21

103.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.90 R$4.55

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$38.71 R$196

7.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.11 R$5.62

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.49 R$2.48

297.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$3.81 R$19.32

107.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.02 R$5.18

-2.94%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$14.3K R$72.4K

23.44%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$21.1K R$107.2K

26.79%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$49.47 R$251

67.80%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$7.25 R$36.80

33.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$18.52 R$94.0

27.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$18.98 R$96.3

33.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.64 R$110

-11.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$7.31 R$37.08

-45.96%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$127 R$644

148.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,548 R$33.2K

-8.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$25.74 R$131

133.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.16 R$209

-22.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$81.6 R$414

24.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$68.5 R$348

56.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$216 R$1,097

119.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$131 R$665

185.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$378 R$1,918

124.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$287 R$1,457

150.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,340 R$6,798

143.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,441 R$7,312

-0.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$356 R$1,806

75.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.38

29.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Governador Valadares: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $216 in Governador Valadares. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 75% 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 $25.00 in Governador Valadares for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $141 per month, with Governador Valadares 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 Governador Valadares: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Governador Valadares is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $216 in Governador Valadares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Governador Valadares – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $609 in Governador Valadares versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Governador Valadares but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Governador Valadares the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Governador Valadares 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 Governador Valadares gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.