Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between El Salvador and Medellin

For one person, living is cheaper in El Salvador: $1,466 a month against $1,589 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

🇸🇻 El Salvador
$1,466
/mo nomad
Medellin
🇨🇴 Colombia
$1,589
/mo nomad
🙂 Solo nomad: El Salvador is 9% cheaper than Medellin without rent, and 7.8% cheaper with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: El Salvador is 9.9% cheaper than Medellin without rent, and 14.2% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.68 $6.68
$8.01 COP 25.5K
-16.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.84 $44.84
$46.55 COP 148.3K
-3.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.08 $7.08
$9.43 COP 30.1K
-24.92%
Cappuccino
$3.57 $3.57
$2.91 COP 9,277
22.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.14 $1.14
$1.75 COP 5,585
-34.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.32 COP 4,218
-30.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.03 $2.03
$3.13 COP 9,969
-35.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.49 $3.49
$5.55 COP 17.7K
-37.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.41 COP 4,495
30.50%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 $2.40
$2.44 COP 7,777
-1.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 $1.55
$1.63 COP 5,191
-4.91%
Eggs
$2.76 $2.76
$2.82 COP 8,990
-2.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.61 $7.61
$9.69 COP 30.9K
-21.47%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.95 $5.95
$9.32 COP 29.7K
-36.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$8.99 $8.99
$13.46 COP 42.9K
-33.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.81 $3.81
$4.00 COP 12.8K
-4.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.74 $1.74
$1.48 COP 4,719
17.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.12 COP 6,768
39.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.93 $2.93
$2.25 COP 7,178
30.22%
Potato (1kg)
$2.85 $2.85
$1.91 COP 6,092
49.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 $2.32
$1.62 COP 5,160
43.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.97 $0.97
$1.15 COP 3,658
-15.65%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.26 COP 4,021
-24.60%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 $3.97
$3.82 COP 12.2K
3.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.90 $11.90
$13.11 COP 41.8K
-9.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 $1.90
$1.60 COP 5,083
18.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 $2.77
$2.26 COP 7,188
22.57%
🚌 Getting Around
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.36 $0.36
$1.17 COP 3,731
-69.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.46 $35.46
$75.0 COP 239.0K
-52.73%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.51 $6.51
$1.27 COP 4,056
412.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 $3.09
$2.05 COP 6,531
50.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.04 $20.04
$8.20 COP 26.1K
144.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.19 $1.19
$1.27 COP 4,046
-6.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.2K $25.2K
$26.8K COP 85.3M
-5.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.3K $28.3K
$34.4K COP 109.6M
-17.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$104 $104
$162 COP 516.9K
-35.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.38 $22.38
$13.12 COP 41.8K
70.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$41.65 $41.65
$28.09 COP 89.5K
48.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.73 $31.73
$44.33 COP 141.2K
-28.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.60 $16.60
$16.33 COP 52.0K
1.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.96 $4.96
$6.09 COP 19.4K
-18.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$167 $167
$764 COP 2.4M
-78.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,427 $4,427
$8,904 COP 28.4M
-50.29%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.2 $63.2
$85.0 COP 270.8K
-25.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.16 $49.16
$57.5 COP 183.2K
-14.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$119 $119
$132 COP 419.8K
-9.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$95.8 COP 305.1K
7.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 $733
$1,028 COP 3.3M
-28.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$655 $655
$604 COP 1.9M
8.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,261 $1,261
$1,802 COP 5.7M
-30.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$881 $881
$993 COP 3.2M
-11.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,730 $2,730
$3,921 COP 12.5M
-30.38%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,601 $1,601
$1,639 COP 5.2M
-2.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
El Salvador
Medellin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$440 $440
$626 COP 2.0M
-29.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
8.48
10.94
-22.49%

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

Last update for El Salvador: October 3, 2026

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
El Salvador
$655
Medellin
$604 7.7% $51
Groceries & Markets
El Salvador
$262
Medellin
$288 9.9% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
El Salvador
$168
Medellin
$203 21% $35
Clothing & Footwear
El Salvador
$150
Medellin
$166 10.7% $16
Eating Out
El Salvador
$143
Medellin
$166 16.4% $23
Getting Around
El Salvador
$59
Medellin
$91 55% $32
Sport & Entertainment
El Salvador
$42
Medellin
$57 35.7% $15
Good to know
🇸🇻 El Salvador
🇨🇴 Medellin
🕒 Local time
01:59 1:59 AM
02:59 2:59 AM
1 h ahead of El Salvador
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
6,029,976
2,486,723
Exchange rates and currency converter

COP, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,187 COP (10,000 COP = 3.14 USD). 1 EUR = 3,574 COP (10,000 COP = 2.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • El Salvador Medellin 1,700 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • El Salvador
  • 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

El Salvador vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?