Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jaboatão dos Guararapes Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jaboatão dos Guararapes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,152 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,594 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, rent included.

Medellin costs about 43% more than Jaboatão dos Guararapes, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Jaboatão dos Guararapes are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Jaboatão dos Guararapes 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.72 R$28.61

4.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$28.36 R$142

15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.33 R$31.70

12.01%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.78 R$8.89

-3.93%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.87 R$4.34

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.49 R$2.44

59.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.46 R$7.29

15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.13 R$10.65

44.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.10 R$5.50

-0.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.38 R$6.89

-8.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.06 R$5.30

30.19%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.84 R$9.23

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.04 R$35.25

-37.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.56 R$17.81

58.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.60 R$38.03

16.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.22 R$11.10

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.94 R$4.70

12.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.93 R$4.63

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.16 R$5.82

18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$1.29 R$6.46

-10.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.01 R$5.04

14.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.54 R$2.72

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.53 R$2.63

58.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$1.25 R$6.23

82.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.97 R$39.90

33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.15 R$5.77

4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.47 R$12.38

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.73 R$3.64

17.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$40.83 R$204

1.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.11 R$5.55

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.62 R$3.13

216.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$3.56 R$17.81

117.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.10 R$5.51

-13.64%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$16.4K R$82.1K

10.50%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$30.4K R$152.0K

-12.82%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$43.78 R$219

87.87%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$15.32 R$76.7

-37.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$16.48 R$82.5

47.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$22.89 R$115

13.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.29 R$107

-10.76%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.87 R$34.40

-42.79%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$118 R$589

163.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$6,359 R$31.8K

-6.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$59.7 R$299

-1.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$51.3 R$257

-36.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$84.4 R$422

21.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$75.9 R$380

42.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$317 R$1,585

50.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$166 R$833

127.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$576 R$2,881

45.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$311 R$1,555

132.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,610 R$8,056

73.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,086 R$5,437

11.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$267 R$1,336

91.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jaboatão dos Guararapes: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $317 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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 92% 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 $28.00 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $165 – making Jaboatão dos Guararapes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jaboatão dos Guararapes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,065 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $710 in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 1% less in Jaboatão dos Guararapes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaboatão dos Guararapes, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Jaboatão dos Guararapes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jaboatão dos Guararapes – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jaboatão dos Guararapes. 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.