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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $787 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,703 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

Medellin costs about 114% more than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$5.31 R$27.58

48.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$22.02 R$114

102.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$6.58 R$34.17

41.19%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$1.96 R$10.20

47.96%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.13 R$5.89

60.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.88 R$4.58

76.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$1.95 R$10.11

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$1.88 R$9.75

212.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.02 R$5.30

35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$1.51 R$7.87

62.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$0.91 R$4.74

65.93%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$2.35 R$12.23

18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$9.36 R$48.62

-3.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$4.55 R$23.60

134.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$9.50 R$49.33

54.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$1.87 R$9.69

112.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$1.12 R$5.84

23.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$0.98 R$5.08

134.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$1.56 R$8.12

29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.75 R$3.92

178.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.80 R$4.17

103.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$0.80 R$4.17

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$0.69 R$3.60

81.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$2.27 R$11.79

77.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$5.61 R$29.15

140.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.16 R$6.03

37.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$1.82 R$9.46

64.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

$0.82 R$4.28

43.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

$45.03 R$234

77.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$1.46 R$7.61

10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$1.50 R$7.80

42.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$7.74 R$40.18

10.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.03 R$5.32

31.07%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$19.5K R$101.3K

45.22%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$32.2K R$167.3K

10.77%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$93.8 R$487

61.45%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$9.77 R$50.8

34.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$18.93 R$98.3

70.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

$27.00 R$140

71.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

$28.35 R$147

-39.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$5.16 R$26.81

24.61%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$265 R$1,377

214.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$9,964 R$51.7K

-10.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$53.4 R$277

67.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$35.64 R$185

55.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$49.27 R$256

177.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$58.1 R$302

88.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

$342 R$1,778

178.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

$190 R$988

251.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

$645 R$3,352

212.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

$446 R$2,315

157.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

$1,438 R$7,466

157.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

$1,176 R$6,109

34.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

$636 R$3,302

-1.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

12.79

-18.45%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $952 in Medellin versus $342 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 2% 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $22.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $182 – making Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 114%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,180 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 $45.00 in Medellin and $22.00 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 $1,687 in Medellin and $787 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 $787, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.