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: $1,017 in Medellin versus $764 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $1,093 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $1,423 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Medellin is roughly 33% more expensive than Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 24% lower, Itajubá, MG 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.65 R$18.46

63.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$14.61 R$74.0

128.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$5.00 R$25.33

44.60%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$0.68 R$3.44

139.71%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.81 R$4.10

34.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.38 R$1.94

92.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.78 R$9.03

-2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.74 R$13.87

17.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.92 R$4.67

14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.51 R$7.66

-14.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.93 R$4.69

41.94%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.96 R$9.92

15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.78 R$39.39

-44.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$3.04 R$15.39

93.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$5.98 R$30.27

43.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.42 R$12.25

-7.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.63 R$8.25

-34.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$1.46 R$7.37

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.52 R$7.67

-6.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.51 R$2.60

129.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.02 R$5.18

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.28 R$1.43

217.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.58 R$2.93

55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.94 R$9.81

15.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.67 R$43.89

27.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.28 R$6.46

-10.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.41 R$7.11

68.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.86 R$4.33

-2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$38.93 R$197

7.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.08 R$5.45

30.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.70 R$3.53

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.53 R$38.13

2.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.04 R$5.26

-2.88%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$15.4K R$77.7K

14.52%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.2K R$137.9K

-2.73%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$104 R$529

-19.87%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$11.95 R$60.5

-20.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$15.94 R$80.7

51.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$13.89 R$70.3

82.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.39 R$108

-10.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.55 R$33.15

-37.40%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$536 R$2,714

-41.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$11.5K R$58.5K

-48.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$45.08 R$228

28.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$42.27 R$214

-22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$75.9 R$384

31.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$60.9 R$308

78.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$285 R$1,442

69.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$212 R$1,075

78.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$462 R$2,336

81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$326 R$1,649

122.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$902 R$4,567

214.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$670 R$3,391

82.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$286 R$1,450

88.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.33

18.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $285 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 89% 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 $15.00 in Itajubá, MG for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $166 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $764 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Medellin pays 89% 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: $482 in Medellin versus $285 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $312 in Medellin versus $536 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $764 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,017 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 33% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.