Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and São Gabriel Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and São Gabriel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $763 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,196 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,629 in São Gabriel, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than São Gabriel, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and São Gabriel are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, São Gabriel 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$5.15 R$26.06

15.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$27.34 R$138

21.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.40 R$32.42

12.97%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.06 R$5.39

53.77%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.14 R$5.75

-4.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.82 R$4.16

-10.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.23 R$6.22

41.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$2.96 R$14.97

9.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.80 R$4.04

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.45 R$7.33

-11.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.10 R$5.56

20.00%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.33 R$6.74

70.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$11.11 R$56.3

-60.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$4.62 R$23.41

27.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$9.69 R$49.04

-11.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.11 R$5.63

102.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.26 R$6.40

-15.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.94 R$4.78

61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.74 R$3.73

91.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.11 R$5.63

5.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.75 R$3.79

56.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.73 R$3.68

21.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.61 R$3.10

47.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$1.66 R$8.42

35.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$3.88 R$19.64

184.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$0.99 R$5.01

15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$1.40 R$7.10

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.91 R$4.61

-7.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$39.04 R$198

7.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.67 R$8.43

-15.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.05 R$5.32

80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$5.47 R$27.67

41.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.05 R$5.30

-3.81%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$24.3K R$123.3K

-27.80%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$27.4K R$138.5K

-3.15%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$61.4 R$311

36.35%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.61 R$74.0

-35.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$19.67 R$99.6

22.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$22.12 R$112

14.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$21.29 R$108

-10.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$6.38 R$32.30

-35.74%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$314 R$1,591

-0.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$2,740 R$13.9K

118.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$49.11 R$249

18.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$22.90 R$116

42.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$81.3 R$412

22.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$62.6 R$317

73.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$309 R$1,566

55.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$216 R$1,093

75.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$581 R$2,940

44.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$431 R$2,181

67.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$1,509 R$7,641

88.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$1,237 R$6,263

-1.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

34.30%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for São Gabriel: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $309 in São Gabriel. 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 $27.00 in São Gabriel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $169 – making São Gabriel 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 São Gabriel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,144 in São Gabriel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $763 in São Gabriel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in São Gabriel, where all-in costs run around $763, than in Medellin at $1,017. In São Gabriel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward São Gabriel – 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 São Gabriel. 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.