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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $416 per month in Mindelo vs $1,013 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $958 per month in Mindelo vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Mindelo vs $2,192 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 69% lower, Medellin 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 CVE 1,110

$5.99 COP 21.4K

95.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.3 CVE 5,516

$32.86 COP 117.4K

77.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.13 CVE 107

$1.71 COP 6,115

-33.92%

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

$1.07 CVE 102

$1.10 COP 3,924

-2.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 CVE 98.4

$0.78 COP 2,781

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 CVE 333

$1.68 COP 5,997

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 CVE 173

$3.07 COP 11.0K

-40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 CVE 145

$1.09 COP 3,906

40.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 CVE 107

$1.26 COP 4,508

-10.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 CVE 75.6

$1.38 COP 4,922

-42.03%

Eggs

$2.62 CVE 248

$2.19 COP 7,827

19.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.25 CVE 1,539

$4.40 COP 15.7K

269.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.56 CVE 1,663

$8.89 COP 31.8K

97.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 CVE 208

$2.34 COP 8,349

-6.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 187

$1.06 COP 3,777

85.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 CVE 275

$1.50 COP 5,374

93.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 CVE 305

$1.38 COP 4,924

133.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 CVE 82.7

$1.15 COP 4,111

-24.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.77 CVE 167

$1.16 COP 4,155

52.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 CVE 100

$0.89 COP 3,182

19.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 CVE 73.5

$0.84 COP 2,997

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.18 CVE 490

$2.28 COP 8,145

127.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.40 CVE 796

$10.64 COP 38.0K

-21.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 CVE 191

$1.20 COP 4,284

68.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 CVE 199

$2.47 COP 8,824

-14.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 CVE 43.09

$0.86 COP 3,056

-46.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.03 CVE 2,938

$41.40 COP 147.9K

-25.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 CVE 150

$1.47 COP 5,264

7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 CVE 132

$1.96 COP 7,009

-29.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 CVE 997

$7.74 COP 27.6K

36.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 CVE 161

$0.95 COP 3,409

78.95%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.18 CVE 301

$19.00 COP 67.9K

-83.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$368 CVE 34.9K

$838 COP 3.0M

-56.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 CVE 25.2K

$724 COP 2.6M

-63.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $58.0 in Mindelo versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $188 – 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 143%, 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 $624 per month in Mindelo and $1,519 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Mindelo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% 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 $416, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.