Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paulista Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Paulista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $662 in Paulista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,040 in Paulista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,418 in Paulista, rent included.

Medellin costs about 56% more than Paulista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Paulista are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Paulista 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.83 R$29.67

5.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$14.50 R$73.8

124.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.48 R$33.01

13.27%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.46 R$7.44

17.81%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.23 R$6.25

-14.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.34 R$1.76

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.60 R$8.16

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.21 R$11.28

43.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.92 R$4.71

14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.20 R$6.12

8.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.88 R$4.49

59.09%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.85 R$9.42

16.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$2.55 R$12.97

72.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$2.76 R$14.06

113.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$5.29 R$26.91

63.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.79 R$9.10

27.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.91 R$4.64

21.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.86 R$4.36

77.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.06 R$5.40

27.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.99 R$5.03

14.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.69 R$3.49

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.37 R$1.90

129.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.55 R$2.81

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.96 R$9.97

19.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$3.77 R$19.21

228.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.29 R$6.58

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.57 R$13.10

-3.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.88 R$4.47

-4.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$39.07 R$199

3.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.88 R$4.47

61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.76 R$3.85

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$10.62 R$54.1

-27.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.98 R$4.97

1.02%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$12.8K R$65.2K

40.84%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.1K R$138.0K

-1.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$40.93 R$208

97.43%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$15.70 R$79.9

-36.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$18.93 R$96.4

27.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$22.58 R$115

11.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.57 R$110

-11.22%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.41 R$27.55

-26.43%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$62.6 R$319

387.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,251 R$21.6K

42.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$16.28 R$82.9

257.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$42.94 R$219

-25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$45.29 R$231

122.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$53.9 R$275

99.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$317 R$1,615

50.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$219 R$1,114

71.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$582 R$2,962

45.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$424 R$2,157

72.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,592 R$8,107

101.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,072 R$5,460

27.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Paulista: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $317 in Paulista. 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 Paulista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $124 – making Paulista 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 Paulista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 56%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $994 in Paulista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paulista, 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 Paulista. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $662 in Paulista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paulista, where all-in costs run around $662, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Paulista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paulista – 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 Paulista. 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.