Medellín vs Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living
Medellín (Colombia) · Overall index 28.3 — Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) · Overall index 34.8
Summary
- Overall, Rio de Janeiro is 23% more expensive than Medellín.
- Rent in Rio de Janeiro is 48% more expensive than in Medellín.
- Dining out in Rio de Janeiro is 23% more expensive than in Medellín.
| Item | Medellín | Rio de Janeiro | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +48% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $723 | $1,094 | +51% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $493 | $716 | +45% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,419 | $2,097 | +48% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $898 | $1,336 | +49% |
| Groceries | +18% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.48 | $0.56 | +17% |
| White bread (500g) | $1.41 | $1.68 | +19% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.07 | $2.23 | +8% |
| Eggs (12) | $1.65 | $1.92 | +16% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $5.47 | $5.66 | +3% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $5.22 | $5.69 | +9% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $7.93 | $7.82 | -1% |
| Apples (1kg) | $1.9 | $2.48 | +31% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.7 | $0.91 | +30% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $1.57 | $2.17 | +38% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.14 | $2.69 | +26% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.12 | $1.41 | +26% |
| Onions (1kg) | $0.96 | $1.37 | +43% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $0.91 | $1.03 | +13% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $0.93 | $1.13 | +22% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $6.22 | $6.11 | -2% |
| Transport | +20% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $0.76 | $0.85 | +12% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $36.9 | $45.1 | +22% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.15 | $1.45 | +26% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.54 | $0.76 | +41% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.31 | $0.33 | +6% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $7,832 | $9,328 | +19% |
| Dining out | +23% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $7.07 | $9.25 | +31% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $36.6 | $43.7 | +19% |
| Fast food combo meal | $3.42 | $4.67 | +37% |
| Cappuccino | $1.79 | $2.15 | +20% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.84 | $0.88 | +5% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $2.24 | $2.63 | +17% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.76 | $3.39 | +23% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.65 | $0.87 | +34% |
| Telecom | +6% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $28.7 | $29.5 | +3% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $26.6 | $30.7 | +15% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.16 | $0.15 | -6% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $6.25 | $7.03 | +12% |
| Utilities & household | +19% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $56.8 | $81 | +43% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.11 | +22% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $1.6 | $1.96 | +22% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.54 | $0.64 | +19% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $8.16 | $10.3 | +26% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $29.5 | $34.8 | +18% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $5.13 | $7.42 | +45% |
| Men's haircut | $12.9 | $14.1 | +9% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $10.4 | $10.2 | -2% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $869 | $871 | 0% |
3,083 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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