Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marilia Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Marilia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,687 in Medellin versus $845 in Marilia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,535 in Medellin versus $1,334 in Marilia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,383 in Medellin versus $1,823 in Marilia.

Living in Medellin is roughly 99% more expensive than in Marilia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 23% above, Marilia is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.68 R$29.50

38.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$28.91 R$150

54.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.05 R$36.61

31.77%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.87 R$9.71

55.08%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.27 R$6.61

42.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.76 R$3.96

103.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.01 R$10.46

61.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.80 R$14.56

110.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.10 R$5.72

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.17 R$11.26

12.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$1.03 R$5.37

46.60%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$1.95 R$10.12

42.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.52 R$49.46

-4.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.13 R$21.47

157.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$6.62 R$34.40

121.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$2.26 R$11.74

75.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$0.92 R$4.79

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$1.18 R$6.12

94.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.43 R$7.45

41.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$1.22 R$6.35

71.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$1.10 R$5.71

48.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.82 R$4.26

31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.75 R$3.88

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.13 R$11.05

89.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$7.90 R$41.05

70.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.18 R$6.13

35.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.98 R$10.27

51.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$1.13 R$5.88

4.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$43.23 R$224

84.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.27 R$6.59

26.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.77 R$3.98

176.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.51 R$38.99

13.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.02 R$5.32

32.35%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$21.6K R$111.9K

31.40%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$32.1K R$166.8K

11.13%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$72.8 R$378

108.05%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$11.24 R$58.4

16.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$28.47 R$148

13.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$24.50 R$127

89.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$27.00 R$140

-36.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$7.00 R$36.36

-8.14%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$284 R$1,475

193.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$7,463 R$38.8K

19.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$48.23 R$250

85.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$42.71 R$222

29.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$90.2 R$468

51.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$72.5 R$376

50.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$340 R$1,765

180.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$231 R$1,201

188.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$642 R$3,334

214.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$443 R$2,301

159.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,588 R$8,248

132.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,127 R$5,853

40.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$381 R$1,977

64.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

11.12

-6.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Marilia: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $952 in Medellin and $340 in Marilia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Medellin pays 64% 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: $45.00 in Medellin vs $29.00 in Marilia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $186 per month, with Marilia 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 Marilia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Marilia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Medellin, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $952 in Medellin versus $340 in Marilia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Marilia runs roughly 85% less than in Medellin. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $835 in Medellin versus $284 in Marilia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $845 in Marilia versus $1,687 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Marilia but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Marilia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Marilia 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.

Expats usually find Marilia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.