Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Porto Seguro Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Porto Seguro

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $775 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,221 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,668 in Porto Seguro, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Porto Seguro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Porto Seguro are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Porto Seguro 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$6.40 R$32.73

-7.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$15.43 R$79.0

113.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.77 R$34.64

9.75%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,280

$1.48 R$7.57

11.49%

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

$1.10 COP 3,517

$1.08 R$5.53

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,493

$0.62 R$3.15

25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,488

$1.66 R$8.49

3.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.96 R$15.14

7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,523

$1.23 R$6.28

-10.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,018

$1.50 R$7.65

-16.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,410

$1.14 R$5.84

21.05%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,955

$2.01 R$10.27

8.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$7.98 R$40.80

-43.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.63 R$18.55

59.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.43 R$38.03

20.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,410

$2.13 R$10.91

8.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,399

$1.27 R$6.48

-16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,842

$1.19 R$6.09

27.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,330

$1.50 R$7.68

-9.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,602

$1.20 R$6.15

-5.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,740

$1.10 R$5.61

6.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,878

$0.71 R$3.61

26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,863

$1.42 R$7.25

-36.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,132

$2.17 R$11.13

2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$5.77 R$29.53

110.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,795

$1.21 R$6.18

-1.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,925

$2.00 R$10.24

24.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,725

$0.87 R$4.43

-2.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.9K

$38.38 R$196

8.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,521

$1.10 R$5.63

29.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,227

$0.71 R$3.63

174.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$6.27 R$32.10

25.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,162

$1.22 R$6.22

-18.85%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$21.0K R$107.5K

-16.26%

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

$26.8K COP 85.6M

$28.0K R$143.0K

-4.15%

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

$83.0 COP 265.0K

$61.8 R$316

34.43%

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

$9.70 COP 31.0K

$13.61 R$69.6

-28.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.1K

$15.89 R$81.3

48.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$22.89 R$117

10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 61.0K

$21.24 R$109

-10.08%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$6.21 R$31.79

-36.39%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$269 R$1,377

17.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$6,607 R$33.8K

-9.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.6K

$49.21 R$252

21.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.6K

$42.12 R$215

-24.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.6K

$75.6 R$387

34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 343.1K

$63.9 R$327

68.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$320 R$1,636

48.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$216 R$1,105

73.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$506 R$2,588

67.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$425 R$2,176

69.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,598 R$8,176

104.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,181 R$6,043

21.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$314 R$1,605

99.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Porto Seguro: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $320 in Porto Seguro. 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 99% 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $15.00 in Porto Seguro. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $182 – making Porto Seguro 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 Porto Seguro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 29%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,163 in Porto Seguro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Seguro, 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 $15.00 in Porto Seguro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $775 in Porto Seguro. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Porto Seguro, where all-in costs run around $775, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Porto Seguro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Porto Seguro – 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 Porto Seguro. 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.