Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Volta Redonda Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Volta Redonda

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $740 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,196 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,653 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Volta Redonda are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Volta Redonda 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$7.08 R$36.07

-12.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.58 R$135

22.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.49 R$27.93

33.70%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$2.09 R$10.64

-17.70%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.18 R$6.03

-11.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.91 R$4.65

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$2.19 R$11.17

-22.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.87 R$14.60

10.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.82 R$4.19

28.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.47 R$7.46

-11.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.11 R$5.64

26.13%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.18 R$11.08

-0.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$11.13 R$56.7

-60.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.33 R$22.03

35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.96 R$45.61

-3.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.71 R$13.78

-15.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.90 R$9.67

-41.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$1.69 R$8.60

-9.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.83 R$9.30

-26.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.44 R$7.31

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.31 R$6.65

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.00 R$5.10

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.20 R$1.02

355.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$2.48 R$12.64

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.46 R$43.09

46.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.27 R$6.45

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.24 R$6.30

100.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.73 R$3.73

15.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$38.23 R$195

6.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.07 R$5.44

32.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.76 R$3.87

152.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$9.42 R$47.96

-18.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.10 R$5.60

-10.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$21.8K R$111.2K

-17.43%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$28.3K R$143.8K

-5.75%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.2 R$276

49.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.96 R$50.7

-0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$20.01 R$102

20.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$17.87 R$91.0

40.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.96 R$112

-12.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.38 R$22.28

-9.13%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$178 R$906

71.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$15.4K R$78.2K

-60.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$41.81 R$213

39.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$35.79 R$182

-10.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$44.98 R$229

123.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$74.3 R$378

45.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$244 R$1,244

95.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$180 R$917

108.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$593 R$3,019

42.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$321 R$1,632

127.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$819 R$4,171

292.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$672 R$3,420

104.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$288 R$1,466

114.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.56

16.18%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $244 in Volta Redonda. 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 114% 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 Volta Redonda. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $198 in Volta Redonda – 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 Volta Redonda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $1,110 in Volta Redonda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Volta Redonda, 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 Volta Redonda. 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 $740 in Volta Redonda. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Volta Redonda, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Volta Redonda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Volta Redonda – 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 Volta Redonda. 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.