Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Jaragua do Sul

For one person, living is cheaper in Jaragua do Sul: $923 a month against $1,614 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $8,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,614
/mo nomad
Jaragua do Sul
🇧🇷 Brazil
$923
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Jaragua do Sul

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Jaragua do Sul actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,614 per month in Medellin vs $923 in Jaragua do Sul, rent included.

  • Medellin $1,614
  • Jaragua do Sul $923

A couple spends around $2,402 per month in Medellin vs $1,460 in Jaragua do Sul, rent included.

  • Medellin $2,402
  • Jaragua do Sul $1,460

A family of three spends $3,190 per month in Medellin vs $1,998 in Jaragua do Sul, rent included.

  • Medellin $3,190
  • Jaragua do Sul $1,998

Medellin costs about 75% more than Jaragua do Sul, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Jaragua do Sul is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.93 COP 25.2K
$6.62 R$33.41
19.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.13 COP 146.7K
$35.88 R$181
28.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.2K
$8.03 R$40.54
18.31%
Cappuccino
$3.11 COP 9,897
$1.92 R$9.70
61.98%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 COP 5,818
$1.13 R$5.71
61.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 COP 4,373
$0.46 R$2.34
200.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.05 COP 9,702
$2.76 R$13.95
10.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.50 COP 17.5K
$3.05 R$15.42
80.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.45 COP 4,614
$0.89 R$4.49
62.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.36 COP 7,519
$1.42 R$7.14
66.20%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.68 COP 5,345
$0.79 R$4.01
112.66%
Eggs
$2.86 COP 9,106
$2.19 R$11.03
30.59%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.4K
$8.82 R$44.54
15.53%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 COP 30.3K
$3.88 R$19.58
145.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.04 COP 44.7K
$8.50 R$42.89
65.18%
Apples (1kg)
$4.07 COP 12.9K
$2.03 R$10.27
100.49%
Banana (1kg)
$1.50 COP 4,757
$0.86 R$4.32
74.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.17 COP 6,913
$0.81 R$4.07
167.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 COP 7,333
$1.67 R$8.44
38.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.93 COP 6,132
$1.20 R$6.04
60.83%
Onion (1kg)
$1.64 COP 5,212
$1.09 R$5.52
50.46%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 COP 3,582
$0.82 R$4.13
37.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.25 COP 3,966
$0.68 R$3.41
83.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.99 COP 12.7K
$2.47 R$12.49
61.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.35 COP 42.5K
$6.81 R$34.37
96.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70 COP 5,400
$1.99 R$10.03
-14.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 COP 7,548
$1.81 R$9.13
30.94%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 COP 3,839
$1.08 R$5.45
12.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$76.5 COP 243.3K
$30.63 R$155
149.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.32 COP 4,192
$1.52 R$7.65
-13.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.14 COP 6,795
$1.41 R$7.14
51.77%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.47 COP 26.9K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 COP 4,127
$1.31 R$6.62
-0.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K COP 89.0M
$23.9K R$120.4K
17.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.4K COP 112.6M
$35.6K R$179.4K
-0.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 COP 547.3K
$116 R$585
48.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.37 COP 42.5K
$14.82 R$74.8
-9.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.73 COP 91.4K
$24.81 R$125
15.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.24 COP 143.9K
$25.01 R$126
80.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.04 COP 54.2K
$24.26 R$122
-29.76%
Cinema Ticket
$6.28 COP 20.0K
$7.21 R$36.38
-12.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$770 COP 2.4M
$333 R$1,681
131.27%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,011 COP 28.7M
$2,757 R$13.9K
226.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$86.4 COP 274.8K
$50.7 R$256
70.57%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.1 COP 181.7K
$73.9 R$373
-22.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$137 COP 434.3K
$95.5 R$482
42.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 311.4K
$69.6 R$351
40.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,055 COP 3.4M
$347 R$1,751
204.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$616 COP 2.0M
$250 R$1,263
146.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,892 COP 6.0M
$578 R$2,916
227.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,023 COP 3.3M
$511 R$2,579
100.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,059 COP 12.9M
$1,073 R$5,417
278.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,678 COP 5.3M
$838 R$4,231
100.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Jaragua do Sul
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$652 COP 2.1M
$636 R$3,211
2.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
11.33
-3.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jaragua do Sul: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$616
Jaragua do Sul
$250 59.4% $366
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$295
Jaragua do Sul
$178 39.7% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$214
Jaragua do Sul
$156 27.4% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$170
Jaragua do Sul
$130 23.4% $40
Eating Out
Medellin
$168
Jaragua do Sul
$126 24.9% $42
Getting Around
Medellin
$93
Jaragua do Sul
$44 53.3% $50
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Jaragua do Sul
$39 31.8% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Medellin versus $347 in Jaragua do Sul. 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 3% 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 $46.00 in Medellin versus $36.00 in Jaragua do Sul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $178 – making Jaragua do Sul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇧🇷 Jaragua do Sul
🕒 Local time
11:51 11:51 AM
13:51 1:51 PM
2 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
182,660
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 3,181 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,562 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 15, 2026: 1 USD = 5.05 BRL (1 BRL = 0.198 USD). 1 EUR = 5.65 BRL (1 BRL = 0.177 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Jaragua do Sul 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Jaragua do Sul

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jaragua do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jaragua do Sul cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,421 per month in Medellin and $1,385 in Jaragua do Sul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jaragua do Sul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Medellin and in Jaragua do Sul?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,614 in Medellin and $923 in Jaragua do Sul. That's a gap of about 75%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 150% less in Jaragua do Sul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Medellin or in Jaragua do Sul?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jaragua do Sul, where all-in costs run around $923, than in Medellin at $1,614. In Jaragua do Sul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Medellin or Jaragua do Sul more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jaragua do Sul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jaragua do Sul. 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.

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