Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rio das Ostras Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Rio das Ostras

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $674 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,098 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,521 in Rio das Ostras, rent included.

Medellin costs about 53% more than Rio das Ostras, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.99 R$25.41

23.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.71 R$136

22.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.38 R$32.48

15.05%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.36 R$6.94

26.47%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.22 R$6.19

-13.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.59 R$3.00

30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.78 R$9.08

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.77 R$14.12

14.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.06 R$5.38

-0.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.27 R$6.47

2.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.04 R$5.29

34.62%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.02 R$10.27

6.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.25 R$31.80

-29.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.28 R$16.72

79.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.13 R$41.40

6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.36 R$12.01

-3.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.30 R$6.60

-14.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.12 R$5.72

36.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.37 R$6.97

-1.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.10 R$5.58

2.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.94 R$4.78

20.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.41 R$2.08

107.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.52 R$2.65

75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.99 R$10.15

17.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.70 R$44.32

42.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.21 R$6.17

-0.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.08 R$10.57

19.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.68 R$3.49

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.58 R$196

5.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.12 R$5.70

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.71 R$3.62

170.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.41 R$37.72

3.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.03 R$5.26

-3.88%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$16.5K R$84.1K

9.16%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$27.9K R$142.1K

-4.62%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$68.3 R$348

18.26%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$12.27 R$62.5

-18.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$16.46 R$83.8

46.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$24.07 R$123

4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.47 R$68.6

42.17%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.63 R$28.69

-29.31%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$334 R$1,701

-8.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,367 R$32.4K

-4.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$45.15 R$230

28.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$41.67 R$212

-22.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$74.4 R$379

35.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$60.0 R$306

79.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$179 R$910

166.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$128 R$651

194.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$418 R$2,126

102.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$283 R$1,439

158.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,596 R$8,123

101.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,145 R$5,830

19.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$529 R$2,695

16.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

49.22%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Rio das Ostras: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $179 in Rio das Ostras. 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 17% 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 $27.00 in Rio das Ostras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $167 – making Rio das Ostras 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 Rio das Ostras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 53%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,011 in Rio das Ostras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rio das Ostras, 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 $27.00 in Rio das Ostras. 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 $674 in Rio das Ostras. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rio das Ostras, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Rio das Ostras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rio das Ostras – 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 Rio das Ostras. 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.