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: $1,028 in Medellin versus $622 in Governador Valadares.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,586 in Medellin versus $1,020 in Governador Valadares.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,144 in Medellin versus $1,417 in Governador Valadares.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 23% lower, Governador Valadares 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$4.16 R$21.17

44.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$25.39 R$129

29.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

$6.40 R$32.56

15.94%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$1.66 R$8.46

-0.60%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.83 R$4.22

28.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.35 R$1.78

117.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

$1.40 R$7.14

22.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.10 R$10.66

52.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.80 R$4.07

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.18 R$6.03

11.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.87 R$4.43

54.02%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$1.67 R$8.50

31.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$6.81 R$34.66

-35.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$2.98 R$15.14

90.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$4.91 R$24.96

73.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$1.96 R$10.00

19.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

$1.23 R$6.26

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.05 R$5.33

44.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$1.05 R$5.35

30.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$1.14 R$5.78

0.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.10 R$5.60

7.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.63 R$3.22

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.52 R$2.64

65.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

$1.39 R$7.06

62.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$5.99 R$30.46

93.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

$0.73 R$3.74

64.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.27 R$6.47

95.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$0.90 R$4.57

-12.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$38.87 R$198

5.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

$1.14 R$5.78

28.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.49 R$2.51

291.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$3.77 R$19.17

106.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.06 R$5.40

-4.72%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$14.3K R$72.8K

23.37%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

$21.3K R$108.2K

24.43%

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$49.12 R$250

65.11%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$7.03 R$35.75

34.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$18.31 R$93.2

30.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$19.00 R$96.7

36.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$21.55 R$110

-13.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$7.36 R$37.45

-44.43%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$127 R$644

148.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

$6,406 R$32.6K

-5.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$25.36 R$129

135.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$39.85 R$203

-19.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

$82.9 R$422

22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$68.5 R$348

53.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$217 R$1,103

123.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$131 R$665

179.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$378 R$1,921

118.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$285 R$1,448

156.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,362 R$6,928

119.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,414 R$7,193

-7.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$353 R$1,796

56.05%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Governador Valadares: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $485 in Medellin and $217 in Governador Valadares. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 56% 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 $190 vs $139 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Medellin pays 56% more on average, 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: $485 in Medellin versus $217 in Governador Valadares. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% 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 $622 in Governador Valadares versus $1,028 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.