Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulista and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Paulista and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $743 per month in Paulista vs $1,555 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,175 per month in Paulista vs $2,314 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,606 per month in Paulista vs $3,072 in Medellin, rent included.

Paulista is about 52% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Paulista sits 45% below the global median, while Medellin is 15% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 R$34.03

$7.59 COP 24.7K

-14.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.12 R$79.0

$44.78 COP 145.7K

-66.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 R$39.10

$9.24 COP 30.1K

-18.94%

Cappuccino

$1.46 R$7.62

$2.95 COP 9,591

-50.51%

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

$0.96 R$5.01

$1.80 COP 5,861

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 R$2.08

$1.35 COP 4,391

-70.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.84 R$9.59

$2.93 COP 9,544

-37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 R$18.25

$5.46 COP 17.8K

-36.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 R$5.11

$1.43 COP 4,663

-31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 R$9.08

$2.39 COP 7,785

-27.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 R$5.10

$1.60 COP 5,209

-38.75%

Eggs

$2.04 R$10.68

$2.88 COP 9,364

-29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.60 R$13.60

$9.71 COP 31.6K

-73.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 R$14.77

$9.44 COP 30.7K

-70.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.39 R$28.14

$13.24 COP 43.1K

-59.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 R$10.27

$3.75 COP 12.2K

-47.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 R$4.93

$1.45 COP 4,703

-35.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 R$4.58

$2.10 COP 6,829

-58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.67

$2.13 COP 6,930

-48.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.20

$1.92 COP 6,259

-28.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 R$3.87

$1.53 COP 4,984

-51.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 R$2.07

$1.09 COP 3,549

-63.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 R$4.52

$1.18 COP 3,843

-26.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.33

$3.79 COP 12.3K

-42.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.74 R$19.51

$13.16 COP 42.8K

-71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 R$7.74

$1.64 COP 5,337

-9.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 R$16.58

$2.28 COP 7,410

39.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.94 R$4.92

$1.18 COP 3,825

-20.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.11 R$199

$73.6 COP 239.5K

-48.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 R$9.81

$1.28 COP 4,157

46.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 R$6.10

$1.98 COP 6,434

-40.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 R$16.12

$7.89 COP 25.7K

-60.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 R$5.65

$1.29 COP 4,211

-16.28%

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

$13.6K R$70.9K

$26.8K COP 87.2M

-49.30%

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

$28.6K R$149.5K

$34.7K COP 112.9M

-17.49%

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

$44.03 R$230

$158 COP 513.6K

-72.10%

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

$22.16 R$116

$13.39 COP 43.6K

65.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.82 R$119

$27.28 COP 88.8K

-16.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.97 R$130

$44.15 COP 143.7K

-43.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 R$137

$15.99 COP 52.0K

63.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.86 R$30.62

$6.39 COP 20.8K

-8.29%

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

$66.0 R$345

$777 COP 2.5M

-91.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,327 R$33.0K

$8,800 COP 28.6M

-28.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.90 R$88.3

$82.7 COP 269.2K

-79.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.9 R$339

$56.1 COP 182.6K

15.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.69 R$254

$131 COP 425.7K

-62.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.5 R$300

$95.9 COP 312.1K

-40.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$339 R$1,772

$1,006 COP 3.3M

-66.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 R$1,199

$627 COP 2.0M

-63.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$633 R$3,306

$1,826 COP 5.9M

-65.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 R$2,428

$969 COP 3.2M

-51.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,550 R$8,093

$3,907 COP 12.7M

-60.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,044 R$5,450

$1,576 COP 5.1M

-33.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

0.55%

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

Last update for Paulista: September 28, 2026

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $339 in Paulista versus $1,006 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Paulista versus $45.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $141 vs $285 – making Paulista 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

Paulista vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 109%, 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 $1,115 per month in Paulista and $2,333 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paulista, 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 $15.00 in Paulista and $45.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $743 in Paulista and $1,555 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Paulista, where all-in costs run around $743, than in Medellin at $1,555. In Paulista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Paulista – 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 Paulista. 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.