Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itajai Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itajai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $720 in Itajai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,181 in Itajai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,643 in Itajai, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Itajai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Itajai are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Itajai 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.62 R$23.60

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$32.99 R$169

-1.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.21 R$31.74

18.20%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.07 R$10.56

-16.91%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.13 R$5.78

-7.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.63 R$3.23

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$2.13 R$10.91

-20.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.76 R$14.11

14.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.78 R$3.99

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.15 R$5.90

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.75 R$3.84

86.67%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.92 R$9.83

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.26 R$42.21

-46.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.46 R$12.55

139.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.21 R$36.87

19.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.61 R$8.21

41.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.91 R$4.65

21.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$0.90 R$4.62

70.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.20 R$6.11

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.71 R$3.61

59.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.53 R$2.69

113.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.60 R$3.07

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 R$2.64

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.14 R$10.92

9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$7.96 R$40.69

55.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.81 R$4.14

48.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.63 R$8.33

52.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.86 R$4.41

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.39 R$196

5.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.11 R$5.66

27.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.70 R$3.57

174.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.40 R$32.72

19.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.02 R$5.21

-2.94%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$18.3K R$93.3K

-1.24%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.1K R$133.6K

1.85%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$35.42 R$181

128.15%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$11.73 R$59.9

-15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.13 R$92.7

33.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$28.30 R$145

-11.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.45 R$110

-10.72%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$6.13 R$31.31

-35.07%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$277 R$1,416

10.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,541 R$33.4K

-7.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$55.4 R$283

4.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$44.67 R$228

-27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$83.2 R$425

21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$57.8 R$296

86.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$317 R$1,618

50.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$213 R$1,091

76.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$592 R$3,026

42.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$428 R$2,187

70.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,047 R$10.5K

57.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,658 R$8,476

-17.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$608 R$3,107

1.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

22.09%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Itajai: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $317 in Itajai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $33.00 in Itajai. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $147 in Itajai – so Itajai 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 Itajai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,031 in Medellin, $720 in Itajai – roughly 43% apart. Medellin costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,079 in Itajai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Itajai, 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $720 in Itajai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Itajai. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Itajai, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Itajai 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 $720 in Itajai to $1,031 in Medellin. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Itajai. 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.