😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,034 in Medellin versus $867 in Manaus.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,577 in Medellin versus $1,347 in Manaus.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,120 in Medellin versus $1,828 in Manaus.
😐Living in Medellin is roughly 19% more expensive than Manaus, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Medellin23% lower, Manaus35% lower.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.92COP 21.4K
$5.36R$26.73
10.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.75COP 118.2K
$25.32R$126
29.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.20COP 26.0K
$6.27R$31.29
14.83%
Cappuccino
$1.70COP 6,140
$2.03R$10.15
-16.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.10COP 3,966
$1.00R$5.01
10.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72COP 2,605
$0.71R$3.56
1.41%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.67COP 6,022
$2.48R$12.38
-32.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10COP 11.2K
$4.88R$24.37
-36.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06COP 3,809
$1.26R$6.27
-15.87%
White Bread(500g)
$1.25COP 4,497
$1.41R$7.02
-11.35%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.39COP 5,022
$1.15R$5.75
20.87%
Eggs
$2.26COP 8,168
$2.03R$10.13
11.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.33COP 15.6K
$9.72R$48.53
-55.45%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.84COP 21.1K
$3.67R$18.31
59.13%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$8.83COP 31.9K
$6.60R$32.91
33.79%
Apples(1kg)
$2.24COP 8,099
$2.14R$10.70
4.67%
Banana(1kg)
$1.08COP 3,882
$1.52R$7.58
-28.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.53COP 5,522
$1.29R$6.42
18.60%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.37COP 4,950
$1.82R$9.08
-24.73%
Potato(1kg)
$1.13COP 4,078
$1.18R$5.91
-4.24%
Onion(1kg)
$1.12COP 4,036
$1.14R$5.67
-1.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.85COP 3,057
$0.70R$3.47
21.43%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.91COP 3,281
$0.64R$3.20
42.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.33COP 8,414
$3.53R$17.64
-33.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.13COP 40.2K
$8.98R$44.81
23.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.19COP 4,309
$1.36R$6.79
-12.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37COP 8,553
$2.09R$10.42
13.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.79COP 2,838
$0.79R$3.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$41.13COP 148.5K
$35.32R$176
16.45%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.44COP 5,184
$0.94R$4.69
53.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.91COP 6,901
$0.67R$3.34
185.07%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.02COP 28.9K
$8.87R$44.28
-9.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94COP 3,385
$1.20R$6.00
-21.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.9KCOP 64.7M
$19.7KR$98.5K
-9.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KCOP 96.7M
$22.7KR$113.1K
18.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$84.0COP 303.1K
$106R$531
-21.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.60COP 34.7K
$14.15R$70.6
-32.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.16COP 87.2K
$22.95R$115
5.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$25.88COP 93.4K
$23.09R$115
12.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.04COP 68.7K
$23.24R$116
-18.07%
Cinema Ticket
$3.92COP 14.1K
$6.01R$29.99
-34.78%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$306COP 1.1M
$202R$1,009
51.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,919COP 21.4M
$4,758R$23.7K
24.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.9COP 209.1K
$45.65R$228
26.86%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.82COP 114.9K
$28.97R$145
9.84%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9COP 360.6K
$54.2R$270
84.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107COP 386.8K
$63.3R$316
69.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$487COP 1.8M
$392R$1,957
24.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$368COP 1.3M
$238R$1,188
54.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$826COP 3.0M
$666R$3,324
23.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$716COP 2.6M
$493R$2,461
45.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,925COP 10.6M
$1,761R$8,789
66.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,407COP 5.1M
$1,310R$6,538
7.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medellin
Manaus
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$546COP 2.0M
$529R$2,639
3.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
13.43
9.83
36.62%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Medellin: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Manaus: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $487 in Medellin and $392 in Manaus. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Medellin pays 3% 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 $25.00 in Manaus for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $186 per month, with Manaus cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Medellin vs Manaus: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Manaus cheaper than Medellin?
Manaus is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 19% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Medellin or Manaus?
Medellin pays 3% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Medellin and Manaus?
Rent for a central apartment: $487 in Medellin versus $392 in Manaus. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Medellin and Manaus?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Medellin. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Medellin or Manaus?
Dining out is cheaper in Manaus – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Medellin or Manaus?
At $867 in Manaus versus $1,034 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Manaus but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Manaus the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Medellin or Manaus more family-friendly?
For families, Manaus 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Manaus gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Medellin vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado