Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Madeira

For one person, living costs are similar in Medellin and in Madeira: $1,639 and $1,599 a month, rent and utilities included.

Medellin, Colombia
Madeira, Portugal
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Madeira
🇵🇹 Portugal
$1,599
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Madeira

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 Madeira actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,639 in Medellin versus $1,599 in Madeira.

  • Medellin $1,639
  • Madeira $1,599

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,413 in Medellin versus $2,361 in Madeira.

  • Medellin $2,413
  • Madeira $2,361

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,186 in Medellin versus $3,124 in Madeira.

  • Medellin $3,186
  • Madeira $3,124

Monthly costs are close between Medellin and Madeira; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Medellin 20% above, Madeira 17% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.09 COP 26.1K
$11.47 €10.24
-29.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.05 COP 151.8K
$46.16 €41.23
1.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.50 COP 30.7K
$9.23 €8.24
2.93%
Cappuccino
$3.01 COP 9,729
$2.06 €1.84
46.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.80 COP 5,806
$1.86 €1.66
-3.23%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.41 COP 4,558
$1.40 €1.25
0.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.18 COP 10.2K
$2.26 €2.02
40.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.75 COP 18.6K
$3.55 €3.17
61.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.51 COP 4,873
$1.10 €0.99
37.27%
White Bread (500g)
$2.38 COP 7,673
$1.52 €1.36
56.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 COP 5,716
$1.61 €1.44
9.94%
Eggs
$2.89 COP 9,327
$3.02 €2.70
-4.30%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.19 COP 32.9K
$11.20 €10.00
-9.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.87 COP 31.9K
$7.70 €6.88
28.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 COP 45.1K
$14.02 €12.53
-0.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.97 COP 12.8K
$2.36 €2.11
68.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 COP 5,009
$1.41 €1.26
9.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,044
$1.85 €1.66
17.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 COP 7,047
$2.50 €2.23
-12.80%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 COP 6,333
$1.52 €1.36
28.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.59 COP 5,129
$1.94 €1.73
-18.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.15 COP 3,696
$1.56 €1.40
-26.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.24 COP 4,012
$0.83 €0.75
49.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.96 COP 12.8K
$6.14 €5.49
-35.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.68 COP 44.2K
$5.34 €4.77
156.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.66 COP 5,356
$1.24 €1.11
33.87%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 COP 7,286
$2.41 €2.15
-6.22%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.17 COP 3,769
$2.27 €2.03
-48.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$77.4 COP 249.7K
$42.12 €37.62
83.69%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 COP 4,092
$4.13 €3.69
-69.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 COP 6,608
$0.81 €0.72
153.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.55 COP 27.6K
$17.47 €15.61
-51.06%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 COP 4,346
$1.91 €1.71
-29.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.1K COP 109.9M
$34.7K €31.0K
-1.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7K COP 111.9M
$39.2K €35.0K
-11.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$170 COP 547.5K
$137 €123
23.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.55 COP 43.7K
$21.23 €18.96
-36.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.07 COP 90.6K
$41.41 €36.98
-32.21%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.70 COP 141.0K
$44.27 €39.54
-1.29%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.19 COP 55.5K
$17.51 €15.64
-1.83%
Cinema Ticket
$6.91 COP 22.3K
$8.15 €7.28
-15.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$797 COP 2.6M
$476 €425
67.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,112 COP 29.4M
$8,168 €7,295
11.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$84.7 COP 273.4K
$72.5 €64.7
16.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$58.0 COP 187.0K
$38.12 €34.04
52.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$135 COP 435.5K
$92.4 €82.5
46.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$97.9 COP 315.8K
$93.9 €83.9
4.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,208 COP 3.9M
$910 €813
32.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$642 COP 2.1M
$725 €647
-11.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,028 COP 6.5M
$1,465 €1,309
38.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 COP 3.3M
$1,179 €1,053
-14.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,170 COP 13.5M
$3,005 €2,684
38.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,910 COP 6.2M
$2,314 €2,067
-17.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Madeira
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$657 COP 2.1M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
10.94
5.01
118.36%

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

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Last update for Madeira: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Medellin
$642
Madeira
$725 12.9% $83
Groceries & Markets
Medellin
$297
Madeira
$246 17.3% $51
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
$211
Madeira
$200 5.3% $11
Eating Out
Medellin
$170
Madeira
$176 3.5% $5.9
Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
$169
Madeira
$134 20.9% $35
Getting Around
Medellin
$94
Madeira
$59 36.5% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
$58
Madeira
$61 5.3% $3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,208 in Medellin and $910 in Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Medellin vs $46 in Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $246 per month, with Madeira cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇴 Medellin
🇵🇹 Madeira
🕒 Local time
03:38 3:38 AM
08:38 8:38 AM
5 h ahead of Medellin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
2,486,723
154
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,227 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,613 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.893 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • Medellin Madeira 6,720 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Medellin
  • Madeira

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 Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,459 in Medellin and $2,399 in Madeira 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.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Madeira?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,208 in Medellin versus $910 in Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Madeira runs roughly 46% less than in Medellin. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $797 in Medellin versus $476 in Madeira. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 enough to cover costs in Medellin or in Madeira?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,500. Madeira is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is Medellin or Madeira more family-friendly?
For families, Madeira 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.

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