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: $1,003 in Medellin versus $750 in Itajubá, MG.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,573 in Medellin versus $1,089 in Itajubá, MG.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,143 in Medellin versus $1,428 in Itajubá, MG.

Living in Medellin is roughly 34% more expensive than in Itajubá, MG, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin 25% lower, Itajubá, MG 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$3.61 R$18.32

63.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$14.68 R$74.5

124.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$4.97 R$25.21

49.50%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$0.72 R$3.64

129.17%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$0.82 R$4.14

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.38 R$1.94

105.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.84 R$9.31

-6.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.75 R$13.95

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$0.92 R$4.68

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.50 R$7.61

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$0.92 R$4.68

50.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$1.93 R$9.80

12.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$7.91 R$40.14

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$3.08 R$15.64

87.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$5.92 R$30.02

51.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.38 R$12.10

-2.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.58 R$8.02

-32.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$1.46 R$7.40

4.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$1.51 R$7.66

-9.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$0.52 R$2.62

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$0.98 R$4.99

19.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$0.26 R$1.31

246.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.57 R$2.90

57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$1.99 R$10.11

12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$7.76 R$39.37

56.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.26 R$6.37

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$1.46 R$7.38

69.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.94 R$4.75

-9.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$38.08 R$193

9.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$1.12 R$5.67

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.66 R$3.37

195.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$7.49 R$38.01

5.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$0.99 R$5.05

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$15.0K R$76.2K

17.20%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$27.6K R$140.3K

-3.05%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$104 R$529

-20.37%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$12.22 R$62.0

-20.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$16.36 R$83.0

43.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$14.17 R$71.9

78.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$21.32 R$108

-10.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$6.31 R$32.01

-37.40%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$541 R$2,745

-41.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$11.4K R$58.0K

-47.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$45.31 R$230

32.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$41.31 R$210

-22.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$75.3 R$382

35.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$60.7 R$308

77.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$290 R$1,470

63.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$213 R$1,080

75.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$467 R$2,370

81.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$325 R$1,648

121.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$914 R$4,638

257.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$689 R$3,494

109.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$289 R$1,468

115.85%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Itajubá, MG: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $475 in Medellin and $290 in Itajubá, MG. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 116% 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 $193 vs $163 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,003 vs $750 including rent). Itajubá, MG is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 116% 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: $475 in Medellin versus $290 in Itajubá, MG. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $316 in Medellin versus $541 in Itajubá, MG. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $750 in Itajubá, MG versus $1,003 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 34% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.