Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Porto Velho and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in Porto Velho: $851 a month against $1,639 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $9,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Porto Velho, Brazil
Medellin, Colombia
Porto Velho
🇧🇷 Brazil
$851
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,639
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Porto Velho and in Medellin

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Porto Velho and in Medellin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $851 per month in Porto Velho vs $1,639 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Porto Velho $851
  • Medellin $1,639

A couple spends around $1,347 per month in Porto Velho vs $2,413 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Porto Velho $1,347
  • Medellin $2,413

A family of three spends $1,844 per month in Porto Velho vs $3,186 in Medellin, rent included.

  • Porto Velho $1,844
  • Medellin $3,186

Porto Velho is about 48% cheaper than Medellin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Porto Velho sits 38% below the global median, while Medellin is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.47 R$29.23
$8.09 COP 25.4K
-32.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.80 R$202
$47.05 COP 148.0K
-19.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.15 R$32.86
$9.50 COP 29.9K
-35.26%
Cappuccino
$1.78 R$9.53
$3.01 COP 9,485
-40.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.52 R$8.13
$1.80 COP 5,660
-15.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 R$2.60
$1.41 COP 4,443
-65.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.85 R$9.87
$3.18 COP 9,990
-41.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 R$11.03
$5.75 COP 18.1K
-64.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.99 R$5.29
$1.51 COP 4,751
-34.44%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 R$7.51
$2.38 COP 7,480
-40.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.08 R$5.78
$1.77 COP 5,573
-38.98%
Eggs
$1.97 R$10.53
$2.89 COP 9,093
-31.83%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.70 R$46.51
$10.19 COP 32.1K
-14.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.08 R$21.82
$9.87 COP 31.1K
-58.66%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.61 R$46.03
$13.99 COP 44.0K
-38.46%
Apples (1kg)
$2.03 R$10.87
$3.97 COP 12.5K
-48.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 R$6.65
$1.55 COP 4,883
-20.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.03 R$5.50
$2.18 COP 6,867
-52.75%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 R$8.29
$2.18 COP 6,870
-28.90%
Potato (1kg)
$1.27 R$6.80
$1.96 COP 6,174
-35.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.10 R$5.89
$1.59 COP 5,000
-30.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.63 R$3.39
$1.15 COP 3,604
-45.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 R$4.39
$1.24 COP 3,911
-33.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.17 R$11.61
$3.96 COP 12.5K
-45.20%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.34 R$33.89
$13.68 COP 43.0K
-53.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.23 R$6.58
$1.66 COP 5,221
-25.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88 R$10.06
$2.26 COP 7,103
-16.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.92 R$4.93
$1.17 COP 3,674
-21.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$41.03 R$219
$77.4 COP 243.4K
-46.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.29 R$6.89
$1.27 COP 3,989
1.57%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.90 R$4.80
$2.05 COP 6,442
-56.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.50 R$40.09
$8.55 COP 26.9K
-12.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 R$6.52
$1.35 COP 4,237
-9.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K R$111.4K
$34.1K COP 107.2M
-38.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K R$180.1K
$34.7K COP 109.1M
-2.85%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.3 R$424
$170 COP 533.7K
-53.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.36 R$66.1
$13.55 COP 42.6K
-8.78%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.71 R$105
$28.07 COP 88.3K
-29.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$24.42 R$131
$43.70 COP 137.5K
-44.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$25.57 R$137
$17.19 COP 54.1K
48.75%
Cinema Ticket
$6.69 R$35.77
$6.91 COP 21.7K
-3.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$227 R$1,215
$797 COP 2.5M
-71.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,657 R$40.9K
$9,112 COP 28.7M
-15.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.37 R$248
$84.7 COP 266.5K
-45.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.33 R$248
$58.0 COP 182.3K
-20.07%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.1 R$450
$135 COP 424.6K
-37.67%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$66.5 R$356
$97.9 COP 307.9K
-32.03%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$355 R$1,901
$1,208 COP 3.8M
-70.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$257 R$1,376
$642 COP 2.0M
-59.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$629 R$3,366
$2,028 COP 6.4M
-68.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$463 R$2,477
$1,012 COP 3.2M
-54.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,810 R$9,676
$4,170 COP 13.1M
-56.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,256 R$6,718
$1,910 COP 6.0M
-34.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Porto Velho
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$388 R$2,075
$657 COP 2.1M
-40.94%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11
10.94
0.55%

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

Last update for Porto Velho: October 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Porto Velho
$257
Medellin
$642 149% $384
Groceries & Markets
Porto Velho
$179
Medellin
$297 66% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Porto Velho
$111
Medellin
$211 89.6% $100
Clothing & Footwear
Porto Velho
$110
Medellin
$169 54.3% $59
Eating Out
Porto Velho
$105
Medellin
$170 61.6% $65
Getting Around
Porto Velho
$51
Medellin
$94 85.2% $43
Sport & Entertainment
Porto Velho
$38
Medellin
$58 52.2% $20

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Porto Velho versus $1,208 in Medellin. 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 69% 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 $38 in Porto Velho versus $47 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $297 – making Porto Velho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇧🇷 Porto Velho
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
15:40 3:40 PM
14:40 2:40 PM
1 h behind Porto Velho
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
460,434
2,486,723
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, USD, EUR to BRL – Brazilian Real Converter

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 5.35 BRL (1 BRL = 0.187 USD). 1 EUR = 5.95 BRL (1 BRL = 0.168 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3,146 COP (10,000 COP = 3.18 USD). 1 EUR = 3,502 COP (10,000 COP = 2.86 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Porto Velho Medellin 2,120 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Porto Velho
  • Medellin

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Porto Velho vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Porto Velho cheaper than Medellin?
Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 93%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,276 per month in Porto Velho and $2,459 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Porto Velho, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $355 there versus $1,208 in Medellin.
Is eating out cheaper in Porto Velho or in Medellin?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $38 in Porto Velho and $47 in Medellin. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Porto Velho and in Medellin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $851 in Porto Velho and $1,639 in Medellin. That makes Porto Velho about 48% cheaper.
Is $800 enough to cover costs in Porto Velho or in Medellin?
$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $851 in Porto Velho and $1,639 in Medellin. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Is Porto Velho or Medellin more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Porto Velho – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Porto Velho. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Porto Velho vs other spots: cost of living compared

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