Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itapema Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Itapema

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $782 in Itapema.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,255 in Itapema.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,728 in Itapema.

Living in Medellin is roughly 116% more expensive than in Itapema, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Itapema is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.25 R$27.26

50.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$27.58 R$143

61.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.26 R$32.52

48.40%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.80 R$9.35

61.11%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.13 R$5.86

60.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.65 R$3.38

138.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.82 R$9.44

78.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.67 R$13.84

120.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.02 R$5.28

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.43 R$7.44

71.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.13 R$5.89

33.63%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.03 R$10.52

36.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$8.04 R$41.75

12.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$3.55 R$18.45

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$7.34 R$38.14

99.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.04 R$10.59

94.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.25 R$6.49

10.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.18 R$6.15

94.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.45 R$7.53

39.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.19 R$6.16

75.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.08 R$5.62

50.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.67 R$3.47

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.67 R$3.46

86.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.11 R$10.94

91.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.49 R$38.87

79.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.19 R$6.17

34.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.11 R$10.96

42.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.87 R$4.51

35.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$38.67 R$201

106.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.09 R$5.68

47.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.76 R$3.94

180.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$6.52 R$33.85

30.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.09 R$5.65

23.85%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.0K R$108.9K

35.12%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$27.9K R$145.1K

27.77%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$61.7 R$320

145.39%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$13.23 R$68.7

-0.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$18.53 R$96.2

74.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$22.60 R$117

105.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$21.23 R$110

-18.70%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$6.31 R$32.79

1.90%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$286 R$1,484

192.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$6,575 R$34.1K

35.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$46.66 R$242

91.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$42.95 R$223

28.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$76.7 R$398

78.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$64.1 R$333

70.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$310 R$1,608

207.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$216 R$1,120

209.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$572 R$2,972

252.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$431 R$2,239

166.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,445 R$7,502

155.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,013 R$5,262

56.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

10.92

-4.49%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Itapema: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $310 in Itapema. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Medellin vs $28.00 in Itapema for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $172 per month, with Itapema 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 Itapema: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Itapema is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,530 in Medellin and $1,172 in Itapema 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: $952 in Medellin versus $310 in Itapema. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,687 per month in Medellin versus $782 in Itapema – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Itapema runs roughly 107% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $782 in Itapema versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Itapema but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Itapema the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Itapema 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.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Itapema 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 Itapema gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.