Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itajubá, MG Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itajubá, MG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,681 in Medellin versus $828 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,445 in Medellin versus $1,185 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,210 in Medellin versus $1,542 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Medellin is roughly 103% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Itajubá, MG is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$4.26 R$21.93

88.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$23.18 R$119

106.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$4.33 R$22.33

128.41%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$1.20 R$6.16

160.83%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.12 R$5.77

70.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.67 R$3.47

125.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.79 R$9.20

74.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$2.99 R$15.41

92.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$0.94 R$4.85

53.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$1.62 R$8.36

53.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.00 R$5.16

77.00%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.32 R$11.98

27.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.68 R$55.0

-5.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$3.51 R$18.10

188.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$7.55 R$38.90

89.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$2.74 R$14.12

51.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.61 R$8.27

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$0.99 R$5.11

127.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$1.75 R$9.04

28.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$1.06 R$5.44

92.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$1.05 R$5.41

46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$0.64 R$3.31

82.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.63 R$3.25

107.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.83 R$14.59

37.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$8.72 R$44.93

60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$1.14 R$5.87

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$1.51 R$7.80

90.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$0.96 R$4.93

27.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$1.23 R$6.35

6.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$0.82 R$4.23

167.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$9.02 R$46.48

-3.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.15 R$5.90

19.13%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$23.2K R$119.6K

19.93%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$32.2K R$165.8K

11.16%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$134 R$689

32.56%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$12.05 R$62.1

15.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$18.44 R$95.0

61.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$15.26 R$78.6

194.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$7.93 R$40.85

-16.14%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$549 R$2,828

48.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$13.4K R$68.8K

-31.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$40.74 R$210

119.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$47.85 R$247

23.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$74.3 R$383

86.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$65.3 R$336

56.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$333 R$1,715

219.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$235 R$1,211

182.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$499 R$2,571

278.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$349 R$1,798

194.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

$892 R$4,597

368.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

$677 R$3,488

147.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$286 R$1,475

136.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.93

-8.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Medellin and $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 137% 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: $48.00 in Medellin vs $23.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 vs $189 per month, with Itajubá, MG 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 Itajubá, MG: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin and Itajubá, MG differ by about 103% in total monthly costs ($1,681 vs $828 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 137% 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: $1,062 in Medellin versus $333 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $813 in Medellin versus $549 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Itajubá, MG – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $48.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $828 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,681 in Medellin, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Itajubá, MG but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Itajubá, MG the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Itajubá, MG are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Itajubá, MG gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.