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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $780 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,198 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,616 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

Medellin costs about 120% more than Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$4.29 R$22.01

87.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.0K

$15.50 R$79.5

211.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.6K

$6.92 R$35.45

41.18%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,107

$1.73 R$8.85

68.21%

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

$1.94 COP 6,082

$1.33 R$6.81

45.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,760

$0.56 R$2.85

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,676

$1.19 R$6.11

159.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.0K

$2.33 R$11.95

146.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,267

$0.98 R$5.02

38.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,470

$1.46 R$7.50

63.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,321

$1.34 R$6.85

26.87%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,979

$1.98 R$10.13

44.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$8.67 R$44.41

14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$3.36 R$17.24

220.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.1K

$9.61 R$49.23

53.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$1.81 R$9.28

125.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,917

$1.15 R$5.88

36.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,651

$0.95 R$4.89

124.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,926

$1.20 R$6.15

84.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,404

$0.62 R$3.20

230.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,706

$0.76 R$3.92

97.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,723

$0.51 R$2.63

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,623

$0.75 R$3.85

54.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$1.56 R$8.02

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.2K

$5.89 R$30.19

145.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,955

$0.91 R$4.68

73.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,847

$1.33 R$6.83

112.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,655

$0.98 R$5.01

19.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 243.2K

$42.96 R$220

80.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,019

$1.33 R$6.81

-3.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,546

$0.76 R$3.89

175.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.0K

$3.83 R$19.64

125.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,061

$1.25 R$6.40

4.00%

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

$27.7K COP 86.5M

$11.5K R$58.7K

141.44%

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

$35.5K COP 111.1M

$29.0K R$148.8K

22.32%

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

$176 COP 550.9K

$56.5 R$290

211.68%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$9.80 R$50.3

36.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.5K

$18.53 R$95.0

61.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.0K

$25.31 R$130

76.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.4K

$27.06 R$139

-36.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$6.37 R$32.64

-2.67%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$138 R$709

473.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$1,910 R$9,790

372.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.8K

$68.3 R$350

25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.9K

$80.3 R$412

-27.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 426.4K

$65.2 R$334

109.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.6K

$46.19 R$237

123.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$347 R$1,779

205.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$236 R$1,208

188.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$634 R$3,250

217.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$437 R$2,239

167.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,827 R$9,361

125.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,159 R$5,939

46.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.67

2.53%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $347 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 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 120%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,171 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $16.00 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $780 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 $780, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.