Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Imperatriz Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Imperatriz

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,003 in Medellin versus $772 in Imperatriz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,228 in Imperatriz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,684 in Imperatriz.

Living in Medellin is roughly 30% more expensive than in Imperatriz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Imperatriz 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$5.51 R$27.98

7.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$26.98 R$137

22.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$6.33 R$32.14

17.38%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$1.77 R$9.00

-6.78%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.08 R$5.47

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.46 R$2.35

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.84 R$9.36

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.68 R$13.58

18.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.99 R$5.02

11.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.46 R$7.41

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.18 R$5.98

16.95%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.95 R$9.91

11.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$8.23 R$41.78

-45.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.71 R$18.84

56.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$7.16 R$36.32

25.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.04 R$10.35

13.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.26 R$6.38

-15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.18 R$6.00

28.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.50 R$7.60

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$1.15 R$5.82

-1.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.11 R$5.62

5.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.71 R$3.58

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.65 R$3.30

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$2.09 R$10.59

6.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$8.16 R$41.41

48.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.27 R$6.45

-6.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.98 R$10.03

25.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.86 R$4.34

-1.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$38.05 R$193

9.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.11 R$5.63

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.71 R$3.61

174.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$6.41 R$32.55

23.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.04 R$5.28

-4.81%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$20.9K R$106.2K

-15.90%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.4K R$139.0K

-2.18%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$60.0 R$304

38.40%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$13.74 R$69.7

-29.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$19.04 R$96.6

23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$22.58 R$115

11.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.66 R$110

-11.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.29 R$31.90

-37.20%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$267 R$1,352

18.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$6,610 R$33.5K

-9.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$49.60 R$252

20.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.24 R$209

-22.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$76.5 R$388

32.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$65.5 R$332

64.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$312 R$1,585

52.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$218 R$1,105

71.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$588 R$2,985

44.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$436 R$2,211

65.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$1,796 R$9,115

81.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$1,253 R$6,360

14.94%

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 Imperatriz: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $312 in Imperatriz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $27.00 in Imperatriz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $193 vs $175 per month, with Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Imperatriz is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 30% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,504 in Medellin and $1,157 in Imperatriz to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $475 in Medellin versus $312 in Imperatriz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Imperatriz – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in Imperatriz versus $1,003 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Imperatriz but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Imperatriz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Imperatriz 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 Imperatriz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.