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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $409 in Mindelo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $936 in Mindelo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,464 in Mindelo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 302% more than Mindelo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Mindelo is 70% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.12 CVE 866

-11.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$57.5 CVE 5,459

-16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.14 CVE 108

157.89%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.28 CVE 122

45.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.08 CVE 102

35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.78 CVE 264

15.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$1.55 CVE 147

268.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.50 CVE 143

-4.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.18 CVE 112

103.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$0.86 CVE 81.2

97.67%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.74 CVE 261

5.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$16.40 CVE 1,557

-38.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$17.57 CVE 1,669

-19.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.23 CVE 212

78.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$2.03 CVE 193

-22.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$2.88 CVE 273

-25.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.09 CVE 294

-25.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.87 CVE 83.1

129.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.70 CVE 162

-11.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.08 CVE 103

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$0.74 CVE 70.4

72.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.26 CVE 499

-27.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$8.35 CVE 793

67.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.94 CVE 184

-11.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.14 CVE 203

28.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$0.45 CVE 42.85

177.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

$31.10 CVE 2,954

150.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.59 CVE 151

-17.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.62 CVE 154

33.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$10.40 CVE 988

-20.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.73 CVE 165

-21.39%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

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

$169 COP 519.2K

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

$3.23 CVE 307

433.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

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

$803 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$364 CVE 34.5K

429.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$266 CVE 25.2K

294.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mindelo: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $57.0 in Mindelo. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $243 in Mindelo – so Mindelo wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 302%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $613 in Mindelo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 150% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 23% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $409, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.