Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nova Iguacu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Nova Iguacu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $696 in Nova Iguacu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,093 in Nova Iguacu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,491 in Nova Iguacu, rent included.

Medellin costs about 46% more than Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Nova Iguacu are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Nova Iguacu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.84 R$14.40

109.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$23.64 R$120

40.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$7.26 R$36.77

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.85 R$9.37

-11.89%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.94 R$4.74

15.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.53 R$2.68

37.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.66 R$8.38

4.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$1.37 R$6.96

135.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.09 R$5.54

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.28 R$6.48

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.10 R$5.58

20.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.87 R$9.49

21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.72 R$39.07

-43.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.60 R$13.16

126.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$6.42 R$32.48

34.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.29 R$6.51

74.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.29 R$6.55

-17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.92 R$4.65

65.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.59 R$8.04

-10.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.92 R$4.66

27.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.87 R$4.42

34.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.35 R$1.76

154.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.35 R$1.76

157.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.68 R$8.50

33.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$5.71 R$28.92

93.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.89 R$4.51

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.28 R$6.49

85.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.29 R$6.52

-34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$44.73 R$226

-6.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.93 R$4.72

51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.06 R$5.37

79.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$8.53 R$43.19

-9.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.06 R$5.35

-4.72%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$22.4K R$113.3K

-21.42%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$28.9K R$146.4K

-8.35%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$46.84 R$237

78.65%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$10.68 R$54.1

-11.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$18.79 R$95.1

28.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$21.54 R$109

17.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.76 R$110

-12.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$5.29 R$26.80

-22.50%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$67.5 R$342

361.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,759 R$8,906

240.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$54.5 R$276

6.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$34.65 R$175

-6.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$57.7 R$292

72.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$54.3 R$275

99.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$303 R$1,532

59.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$226 R$1,146

67.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$574 R$2,906

45.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$399 R$2,021

81.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$924 R$4,679

207.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$235 R$1,189

130.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $303 in Nova Iguacu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 130% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $24.00 in Nova Iguacu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $145 – making Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,044 in Nova Iguacu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nova Iguacu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $24.00 in Nova Iguacu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $696 in Nova Iguacu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nova Iguacu, where all-in costs run around $696, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Nova Iguacu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Nova Iguacu. 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.