Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,181 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,601 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.5K

$3.59 R$18.47

66.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 118.1K

$14.25 R$73.4

130.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.5K

$6.62 R$34.10

7.10%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,154

$1.58 R$8.14

8.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,949

$1.00 R$5.14

10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,798

$0.62 R$3.17

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 6,035

$1.75 R$9.03

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.00 R$15.46

2.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,930

$0.95 R$4.88

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,536

$1.52 R$7.81

-17.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,953

$1.59 R$8.18

-13.21%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,876

$1.98 R$10.18

10.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.8K

$7.84 R$40.39

-43.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.2K

$3.45 R$17.77

63.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 32.0K

$7.27 R$37.44

22.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,401

$2.27 R$11.68

3.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,801

$1.34 R$6.89

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,408

$1.06 R$5.45

41.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,955

$1.35 R$6.95

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,137

$1.07 R$5.49

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,181

$0.86 R$4.44

34.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,202

$0.70 R$3.63

27.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 3,016

$0.64 R$3.29

31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,196

$2.15 R$11.07

6.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.2K

$6.04 R$31.11

76.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,311

$1.03 R$5.29

16.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,880

$2.13 R$11.00

15.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,075

$0.86 R$4.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 148.8K

$38.48 R$198

7.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,297

$0.92 R$4.76

59.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,053

$1.08 R$5.56

81.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.8K

$3.55 R$18.28

118.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,430

$1.08 R$5.56

-12.04%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$10.6K R$54.6K

71.13%

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

$26.5K COP 95.2M

$27.1K R$139.5K

-2.22%

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

$82.3 COP 295.6K

$65.0 R$335

26.62%

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

$9.50 COP 34.1K

$14.30 R$73.7

-33.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 87.1K

$20.71 R$107

17.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 93.0K

$22.97 R$118

12.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 68.3K

$22.02 R$113

-13.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.1K

$7.04 R$36.25

-44.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$220 R$1,132

40.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.4M

$1,835 R$9,451

225.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 210.8K

$52.1 R$269

12.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 116.2K

$37.55 R$193

-13.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 368.7K

$72.6 R$374

41.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$64.2 R$331

68.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$321 R$1,655

48.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$218 R$1,123

73.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$586 R$3,020

42.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$413 R$2,128

75.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,379 R$7,102

102.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.4M

$1,016 R$5,232

19.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.83

24.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $321 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $169 – making Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,140 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, 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 $14.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $760 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais – 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 Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. 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.