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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $761 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,180 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,598 in Volta Redonda, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Volta Redonda, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.3K

$7.40 R$37.45

-19.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 116.9K

$26.60 R$135

23.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.2K

$5.30 R$26.84

33.77%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,093

$2.11 R$10.71

-18.96%

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

$1.10 COP 3,910

$1.19 R$6.03

-7.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,771

$0.85 R$4.31

-8.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,976

$2.22 R$11.22

-24.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.82 R$14.27

8.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,892

$0.84 R$4.24

29.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,492

$1.46 R$7.41

-13.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,905

$1.09 R$5.52

26.61%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,799

$2.22 R$11.23

-1.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$11.14 R$56.4

-60.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.0K

$4.40 R$22.26

27.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.6K

$9.15 R$46.32

-2.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,319

$2.71 R$13.71

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,764

$1.89 R$9.59

-43.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,355

$1.64 R$8.32

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,906

$1.78 R$9.02

-22.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,097

$1.39 R$7.05

-17.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,141

$1.24 R$6.27

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,170

$0.95 R$4.82

-6.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,986

$0.17 R$0.85

394.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,116

$2.53 R$12.82

-9.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.91 R$45.10

19.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,268

$1.27 R$6.41

-5.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,793

$1.28 R$6.49

92.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,045

$0.75 R$3.80

14.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.3K

$38.59 R$195

7.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,245

$1.06 R$5.37

38.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,984

$0.75 R$3.81

161.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.5K

$9.26 R$46.88

-16.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,397

$1.10 R$5.55

-13.64%

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

$18.1K COP 64.5M

$22.0K R$111.5K

-17.65%

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

$26.5K COP 94.2M

$28.1K R$142.3K

-5.76%

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

$82.3 COP 292.7K

$54.2 R$274

51.86%

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

$9.50 COP 33.8K

$9.84 R$49.85

-3.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.2K

$20.26 R$103

19.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.1K

$18.13 R$91.8

42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.6K

$21.68 R$110

-12.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.59 R$23.23

-14.38%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$182 R$922

70.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.2M

$15.0K R$76.0K

-60.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 208.7K

$42.11 R$213

39.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.1K

$35.44 R$179

-8.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.1K

$45.24 R$229

126.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 385.8K

$74.3 R$376

45.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$245 R$1,238

94.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$179 R$906

111.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$592 R$2,996

41.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$325 R$1,647

122.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$828 R$4,193

237.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$675 R$3,419

79.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$297 R$1,505

72.22%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Volta Redonda: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $245 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 72% 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 – $188 in Medellin vs $199 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 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,142 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $761 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 $761, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.