Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Passos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Passos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $930 in Passos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,480 in Passos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,030 in Passos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 85% more than Passos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Passos is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$9.20 R$47.14

-12.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$33.59 R$172

43.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.34 R$42.72

17.15%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.14 R$10.95

35.98%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.27 R$6.48

52.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.91 R$4.65

67.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.33 R$11.94

32.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$3.56 R$18.27

61.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.07 R$5.47

27.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$2.01 R$10.31

18.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.34 R$6.88

26.87%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.65 R$13.57

8.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$11.22 R$57.5

-11.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.92 R$25.22

119.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$10.24 R$52.5

43.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.30 R$11.79

77.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.78 R$9.11

-11.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.54 R$7.91

38.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.42 R$7.29

55.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.28 R$6.54

60.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.17 R$5.99

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.91 R$4.65

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.81 R$4.17

43.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.37 R$12.13

64.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.85 R$40.20

83.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.50 R$7.71

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.45 R$12.53

15.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.82 R$4.21

42.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$48.51 R$249

60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.13 R$5.77

13.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.75 R$3.85

178.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$8.44 R$43.23

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.23 R$6.29

5.69%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.8K R$116.6K

21.51%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$30.8K R$158.0K

15.15%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$63.6 R$326

176.75%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$15.58 R$79.8

-14.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$22.39 R$115

33.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$24.71 R$127

81.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$23.29 R$119

-26.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$7.66 R$39.27

-19.06%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$420 R$2,152

88.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$9,757 R$50.0K

-7.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$64.0 R$328

33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$54.6 R$280

7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$92.9 R$476

46.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$83.4 R$428

23.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$337 R$1,726

214.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$230 R$1,177

195.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$635 R$3,253

216.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$443 R$2,269

163.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,849 R$9,472

122.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,161 R$5,951

46.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$402 R$2,062

65.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.81

1.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Passos: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $337 in Passos. 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 65% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $34.00 in Passos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $219 – making Passos 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 Passos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 85%, 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 $1,394 in Passos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Passos, 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 $34.00 in Passos. 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 $930 in Passos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Passos, where all-in costs run around $930, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Passos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Passos – 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 Passos. 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.