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 $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $746 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,166 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $1,587 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, rent included.

Medellin costs about 36% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.0K

$3.56 R$18.00

66.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.0K

$14.25 R$72.1

132.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.8K

$6.82 R$34.47

4.40%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,457

$1.56 R$7.88

9.62%

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

$1.05 COP 3,356

$0.97 R$4.93

8.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,311

$0.64 R$3.25

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,502

$1.77 R$8.96

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.12 R$15.77

1.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,408

$0.89 R$4.48

19.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,192

$1.46 R$7.38

-10.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,256

$1.54 R$7.80

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,298

$1.91 R$9.64

19.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.1K

$8.23 R$41.63

-46.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 18.9K

$3.42 R$17.30

73.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.7K

$7.43 R$37.60

16.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,504

$2.20 R$11.10

6.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,527

$1.34 R$6.79

-17.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,698

$1.07 R$5.40

37.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,415

$1.35 R$6.85

2.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,754

$1.03 R$5.19

13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,744

$0.84 R$4.27

39.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,890

$0.65 R$3.30

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,693

$0.63 R$3.19

33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,449

$2.14 R$10.81

8.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.1K

$5.97 R$30.21

99.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,673

$1.02 R$5.16

12.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,749

$2.19 R$11.09

10.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,687

$0.92 R$4.65

-8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 130.7K

$38.38 R$194

6.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,517

$0.91 R$4.62

54.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,127

$1.12 R$5.67

70.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.0K

$3.57 R$18.08

119.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,020

$1.05 R$5.31

-10.48%

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

$17.8K COP 57.0M

$10.9K R$55.3K

63.05%

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

$27.1K COP 86.7M

$26.9K R$135.9K

0.81%

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

$83.3 COP 266.4K

$66.0 R$334

26.11%

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

$9.66 COP 30.9K

$14.48 R$73.2

-33.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.5K

$21.17 R$107

14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 80.7K

$22.23 R$112

13.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 61.9K

$21.24 R$107

-8.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.0K

$7.08 R$35.81

-42.51%

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

$307 COP 981.2K

$212 R$1,074

44.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.1M

$1,779 R$8,997

236.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.9K

$51.9 R$263

15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.5K

$37.21 R$188

-12.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 323.5K

$72.4 R$366

39.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.7K

$64.7 R$327

66.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$313 R$1,584

52.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$220 R$1,112

72.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$587 R$2,969

39.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$403 R$2,037

75.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$1,492 R$7,549

113.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$1,189 R$6,013

21.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $313 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: $192 vs $168 – 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 36%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,119 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 $1,018 in Medellin and $746 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 $746, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.