Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mindelo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Mindelo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $416 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $958 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,501 in Mindelo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 143% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Mindelo 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$11.72 CVE 1,114

-48.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$58.3 CVE 5,536

-43.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.13 CVE 107

51.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.07 CVE 102

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.04 CVE 98.8

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$3.52 CVE 334

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.83 CVE 174

67.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.53 CVE 146

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.13 CVE 107

11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.80 CVE 75.9

72.50%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.62 CVE 249

-16.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$16.25 CVE 1,545

-72.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$17.56 CVE 1,669

-49.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.19 CVE 208

6.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.97 CVE 188

-46.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.90 CVE 276

-48.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$3.22 CVE 306

-57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.87 CVE 83.0

32.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.77 CVE 168

-34.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.06 CVE 101

-16.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.78 CVE 73.8

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$5.18 CVE 492

-55.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.40 CVE 799

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$2.02 CVE 192

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.10 CVE 200

17.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.46 CVE 43.25

86.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$31.03 CVE 2,948

33.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.58 CVE 150

-6.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.39 CVE 133

41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$10.53 CVE 1,001

-26.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.70 CVE 161

-44.12%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$3.18 CVE 302

497.48%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$368 CVE 35.0K

127.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$266 CVE 25.3K

171.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $58.0 in Mindelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $243 – making Medellin 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 Mindelo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 143%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $624 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $416, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mindelo. 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.