Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Mindelo and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $423 per month in Mindelo vs $1,031 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $954 per month in Mindelo vs $1,599 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,486 per month in Mindelo vs $2,167 in Medellin, rent included.

Mindelo is about 59% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mindelo and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Mindelo 68% lower, Medellin 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.32 CVE 1,093

$6.16 COP 20.1K

83.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.3 CVE 5,534

$32.60 COP 106.1K

75.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

Cappuccino

$1.13 CVE 109

$1.72 COP 5,599

-34.30%

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

$1.02 CVE 98.9

$1.05 COP 3,420

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CVE 99.5

$0.77 COP 2,515

33.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 CVE 324

$1.69 COP 5,487

98.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 CVE 175

$3.17 COP 10.3K

-42.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 CVE 150

$1.05 COP 3,423

47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 CVE 112

$1.30 COP 4,236

-10.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 CVE 77.8

$1.40 COP 4,544

-42.14%

Eggs

$2.72 CVE 263

$2.16 COP 7,046

25.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.92 CVE 1,537

$4.39 COP 14.3K

262.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.09 CVE 1,746

$8.64 COP 28.1K

109.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 CVE 211

$2.28 COP 7,425

-3.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 CVE 188

$1.11 COP 3,603

74.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.00 CVE 290

$1.53 COP 4,982

96.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 CVE 306

$1.35 COP 4,410

134.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 CVE 82.5

$1.13 COP 3,674

-24.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 CVE 162

$1.13 COP 3,692

48.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 CVE 104

$0.85 COP 2,753

27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 CVE 71.5

$0.91 COP 2,975

-18.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.32 CVE 513

$2.34 COP 7,629

127.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 CVE 804

$12.37 COP 40.3K

-32.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 CVE 186

$1.20 COP 3,909

60.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 CVE 196

$2.49 COP 8,104

-18.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 CVE 44.53

$0.84 COP 2,727

-45.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.02 CVE 2,995

$40.57 COP 132.1K

-23.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.55 CVE 150

$1.42 COP 4,623

9.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 CVE 141

$1.92 COP 6,235

-23.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.52 CVE 1,016

$7.66 COP 24.9K

37.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.78 CVE 172

$0.99 COP 3,223

79.80%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.15 CVE 305

$19.15 COP 62.3K

-83.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

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

$305 COP 993.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$365 CVE 35.2K

$845 COP 2.7M

-56.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 CVE 25.0K

$730 COP 2.4M

-64.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Mindelo: July 12, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Mindelo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $193 – making Medellin 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

Mindelo vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 144%, 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 $634 per month in Mindelo and $1,546 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mindelo, where all-in costs run around $423, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Mindelo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mindelo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mindelo. 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.