Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pato Branco Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Pato Branco

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $836 in Pato Branco, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,353 in Pato Branco, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,870 in Pato Branco, rent included.

Medellin costs about 105% more than Pato Branco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Pato Branco is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$6.28 R$32.18

27.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$31.04 R$159

55.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$7.20 R$36.88

35.69%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$1.97 R$10.09

47.72%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.27 R$6.50

52.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$0.73 R$3.72

108.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$2.00 R$10.24

54.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$2.84 R$14.56

102.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$0.98 R$5.00

38.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.67 R$8.54

43.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$1.25 R$6.40

36.00%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$2.07 R$10.62

38.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$9.08 R$46.52

9.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$4.06 R$20.83

165.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$8.43 R$43.20

74.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$2.22 R$11.38

84.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.31 R$6.73

19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$1.14 R$5.86

86.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$1.51 R$7.72

46.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$1.16 R$5.93

76.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$1.14 R$5.82

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.82 R$4.21

45.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$0.79 R$4.02

46.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.26 R$11.60

72.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$7.81 R$40.02

84.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.25 R$6.41

26.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$2.00 R$10.27

41.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$0.93 R$4.77

25.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

$42.60 R$218

82.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.24 R$6.36

3.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$0.74 R$3.77

182.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$7.97 R$40.86

8.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.21 R$6.18

7.44%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$22.8K R$116.7K

21.43%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$31.7K R$162.4K

12.05%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$73.3 R$376

140.11%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$13.15 R$67.4

1.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$20.58 R$105

45.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$25.36 R$130

76.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$26.87 R$138

-36.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$6.81 R$34.91

-8.96%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$293 R$1,500

171.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$7,519 R$38.5K

19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

$53.5 R$274

59.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$47.59 R$244

22.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

$90.4 R$463

50.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$69.7 R$357

48.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$348 R$1,785

204.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$230 R$1,180

195.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$644 R$3,298

212.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$456 R$2,336

156.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,641 R$8,406

150.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,124 R$5,759

51.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$422 R$2,162

57.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.12

-1.62%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Pato Branco: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $348 in Pato Branco. 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 58% 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 $31.00 in Pato Branco. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $188 – making Pato Branco 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 Pato Branco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 105%, 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 $1,254 in Pato Branco. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pato Branco, 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 $31.00 in Pato Branco. 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 $836 in Pato Branco. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Pato Branco, where all-in costs run around $836, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Pato Branco it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Pato Branco – 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 Pato Branco. 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.