Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novo Hamburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Novo Hamburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,030 per month in Medellin vs $699 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,098 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,498 in Novo Hamburgo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Novo Hamburgo, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Novo Hamburgo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Novo Hamburgo 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.2K

$4.44 R$22.06

33.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.17 COP 118.7K

$16.67 R$82.9

98.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.25 COP 25.9K

$6.17 R$30.68

17.50%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,137

$1.46 R$7.24

17.12%

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

$1.09 COP 3,915

$1.12 R$5.59

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,743

$0.82 R$4.07

-6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 COP 6,254

$2.12 R$10.53

-17.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 11.4K

$2.77 R$13.75

14.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,792

$0.83 R$4.13

27.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,657

$1.40 R$6.93

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,926

$0.70 R$3.48

97.14%

Eggs

$2.21 COP 7,908

$2.00 R$9.92

10.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 COP 16.2K

$8.02 R$39.86

-43.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.7K

$4.12 R$20.49

40.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 32.1K

$6.46 R$32.12

38.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 COP 8,182

$1.98 R$9.85

15.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,791

$0.99 R$4.92

7.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 COP 5,411

$0.75 R$3.74

101.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,869

$1.20 R$5.99

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,146

$1.10 R$5.49

5.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,174

$0.91 R$4.54

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 COP 2,960

$0.78 R$3.88

6.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 COP 3,043

$0.53 R$2.61

60.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,423

$1.64 R$8.15

43.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.09 COP 39.7K

$7.36 R$36.60

50.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 4,133

$0.98 R$4.88

17.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,853

$1.85 R$9.21

33.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,827

$0.79 R$3.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.85 COP 149.8K

$37.91 R$188

10.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,140

$1.59 R$7.92

-9.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,793

$1.04 R$5.19

82.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.70 COP 27.6K

$5.38 R$26.73

43.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 COP 3,680

$1.03 R$5.14

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

$17.7K COP 63.3M

$24.2K R$120.4K

-27.00%

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

$27.0K COP 96.7M

$27.9K R$138.8K

-3.30%

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

$81.4 COP 291.4K

$61.3 R$305

32.82%

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

$9.42 COP 33.7K

$14.58 R$72.5

-35.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.77 COP 85.1K

$19.64 R$97.6

21.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.86 COP 92.6K

$22.67 R$113

14.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.34 COP 69.2K

$21.60 R$107

-10.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 COP 14.5K

$6.36 R$31.60

-36.32%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$311 R$1,548

0.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,067 COP 21.7M

$7,134 R$35.5K

-14.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 COP 210.7K

$42.92 R$213

37.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.82 COP 117.5K

$33.96 R$169

-3.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 COP 359.6K

$73.4 R$365

36.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 COP 380.3K

$38.24 R$190

177.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 COP 1.8M

$239 R$1,190

104.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$172 R$854

115.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$524 R$2,604

59.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 COP 2.6M

$389 R$1,935

83.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,952 COP 10.6M

$1,651 R$8,203

78.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,394 COP 5.0M

$1,181 R$5,870

18.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$532 COP 1.9M

$494 R$2,453

7.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 20, 2026

Last update for Novo Hamburgo: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Medellin versus $239 in Novo Hamburgo. 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 8% 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 in Medellin versus $17 in Novo Hamburgo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $160 – making Novo Hamburgo 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 Novo Hamburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, 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 $1,544 per month in Medellin and $1,049 in Novo Hamburgo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Novo Hamburgo, 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 $17.00 in Novo Hamburgo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,030 in Medellin and $699 in Novo Hamburgo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Novo Hamburgo, where all-in costs run around $699, than in Medellin at $1,030. In Novo Hamburgo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Novo Hamburgo – 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 Novo Hamburgo. 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.