Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,267 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,744 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sao Joao da Boa Vista are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Sao Joao da Boa Vista 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$5.43 R$28.03

10.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$26.58 R$137

23.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$5.69 R$29.38

30.40%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.07 R$10.69

-20.29%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.25 R$6.48

-14.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.88 R$4.55

-13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.11 R$10.87

-18.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$2.69 R$13.87

18.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$0.86 R$4.42

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$1.53 R$7.88

-14.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.33 R$6.88

0.75%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$2.83 R$14.60

-22.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$12.49 R$64.5

-64.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$4.23 R$21.83

34.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$8.66 R$44.67

-1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$1.64 R$8.44

42.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.21 R$6.22

-8.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$2.15 R$11.09

-29.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.75 R$9.04

-21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.31 R$6.76

-12.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.23 R$6.33

-4.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.05 R$5.41

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$0.46 R$2.39

86.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$2.20 R$11.37

2.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$5.99 R$30.93

93.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.37 R$7.07

-12.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$2.15 R$11.11

15.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.88 R$4.53

-10.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

$39.18 R$202

4.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$1.24 R$6.38

18.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.07 R$5.51

79.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$6.46 R$33.36

20.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$0.84 R$4.31

20.24%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$20.6K R$106.4K

-14.31%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$29.0K R$149.6K

-8.72%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$85.5 R$441

-5.14%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$11.91 R$61.5

-20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$18.05 R$93.2

32.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$22.62 R$117

14.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$21.23 R$110

-11.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$4.51 R$23.30

-9.31%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$288 R$1,488

9.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$7,923 R$40.9K

-23.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$46.17 R$238

29.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$40.16 R$207

-20.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$39.11 R$202

158.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$40.62 R$210

158.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$313 R$1,618

54.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$218 R$1,124

67.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$585 R$3,017

41.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$435 R$2,247

67.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$1,620 R$8,363

84.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,188 R$6,129

10.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$649 R$3,348

-15.10%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $313 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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 18% higher in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $197 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,185 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $790 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Sao Joao da Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Joao da Boa Vista – 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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.