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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $423 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $954 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,486 in Mindelo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 144% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Mindelo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Mindelo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$11.32 CVE 1,093

-45.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$57.3 CVE 5,534

-43.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.13 CVE 109

52.21%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.02 CVE 98.9

2.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.03 CVE 99.5

-25.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$3.36 CVE 324

-49.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.81 CVE 175

75.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.55 CVE 150

-32.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.16 CVE 112

12.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.81 CVE 77.8

72.84%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.72 CVE 263

-20.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$15.92 CVE 1,537

-72.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$18.09 CVE 1,746

-52.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.19 CVE 211

4.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.94 CVE 188

-42.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$3.00 CVE 290

-49.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$3.17 CVE 306

-57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.85 CVE 82.5

32.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.68 CVE 162

-32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.08 CVE 104

-21.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.74 CVE 71.5

22.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$5.32 CVE 513

-56.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.33 CVE 804

48.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.93 CVE 186

-37.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.03 CVE 196

22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.46 CVE 44.53

82.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$31.02 CVE 2,995

30.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.55 CVE 150

-8.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.46 CVE 141

31.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.52 CVE 1,016

-27.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.78 CVE 172

-44.38%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$3.15 CVE 305

507.94%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$365 CVE 35.2K

131.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$259 CVE 25.0K

181.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $57.0 in Mindelo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 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 144%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $634 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% 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 $423, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.