Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vila Velha Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Vila Velha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $963 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $1,579 in Vila Velha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,196 in Vila Velha, rent included.

Medellin costs about 75% more than Vila Velha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while Vila Velha is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.4K

$9.03 R$46.45

-11.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 152.0K

$38.31 R$197

24.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 31.4K

$7.87 R$40.46

25.67%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,937

$2.28 R$11.71

37.28%

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

$1.91 COP 6,058

$1.34 R$6.88

42.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,794

$0.56 R$2.87

169.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,917

$1.91 R$9.83

63.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 18.3K

$2.98 R$15.30

92.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,587

$1.05 R$5.38

37.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,894

$1.53 R$7.89

62.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,631

$1.93 R$9.94

-8.29%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,396

$2.35 R$12.06

25.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 32.0K

$9.09 R$46.76

10.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 32.1K

$4.57 R$23.51

121.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 45.4K

$9.22 R$47.39

55.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 13.1K

$1.94 R$9.95

113.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,106

$0.98 R$5.03

64.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,129

$1.18 R$6.09

90.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,150

$1.26 R$6.46

78.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,486

$1.22 R$6.26

67.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,873

$1.33 R$6.86

15.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,715

$0.45 R$2.30

160.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,148

$0.80 R$4.13

63.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.4K

$3.27 R$16.83

19.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 44.5K

$8.67 R$44.60

61.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,534

$1.76 R$9.03

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 9,112

$2.31 R$11.90

24.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,858

$1.00 R$5.16

22.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 255.5K

$50.1 R$258

60.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,155

$1.40 R$7.19

-6.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,944

$0.85 R$4.39

157.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.7K

$12.82 R$65.9

-32.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,334

$1.18 R$6.06

16.10%

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

$27.8K COP 88.4M

$32.5K R$167.0K

-14.31%

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

$35.8K COP 113.6M

$31.9K R$164.0K

12.15%

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

$177 COP 562.9K

$113 R$583

56.34%

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

$13.88 COP 44.1K

$17.35 R$89.2

-20.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 94.4K

$15.15 R$77.9

96.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 142.5K

$27.08 R$139

65.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 54.4K

$26.84 R$138

-36.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 21.1K

$6.99 R$35.96

-4.86%

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

$813 COP 2.6M

$427 R$2,194

90.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 29.2M

$14.2K R$73.3K

-35.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 284.1K

$76.7 R$394

16.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 187.2K

$50.4 R$259

17.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 438.8K

$81.8 R$421

68.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 324.2K

$74.2 R$381

37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.4M

$293 R$1,509

262.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$246 R$1,267

169.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 6.0M

$573 R$2,944

229.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.3M

$554 R$2,850

85.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.3M

$2,000 R$10.3K

109.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.3M

$2,010 R$10.3K

-16.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.2M

$401 R$2,064

68.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

11.33

-3.44%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Vila Velha: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $293 in Vila Velha. 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 69% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Vila Velha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $196 – making Vila Velha 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 Vila Velha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 75%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $1,444 in Vila Velha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Vila Velha, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Vila Velha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,681 in Medellin and $963 in Vila Velha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Vila Velha, where all-in costs run around $963, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Vila Velha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Vila Velha – 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 Vila Velha. 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.