Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabana Grande Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sabana Grande

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $1,439 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $2,176 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,914 in Sabana Grande, rent included.

Medellin is about 29% cheaper than Sabana Grande, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Sabana Grande is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$18.94 $18.94

-68.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$79.8 $79.8

-58.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$9.63 $9.63

-26.06%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$3.49 $3.49

-51.00%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.78 $1.78

-41.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$1.44 $1.44

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$3.09 $3.09

-44.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$4.58 $4.58

-30.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$2.44 $2.44

-56.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$3.40 $3.40

-61.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$2.19 $2.19

-39.27%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$5.89 $5.89

-61.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$8.75 $8.75

-49.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$8.67 $8.67

-31.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$12.57 $12.57

-31.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$5.90 $5.90

-60.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$2.62 $2.62

-58.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$3.81 $3.81

-61.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$4.17 $4.17

-66.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$4.02 $4.02

-70.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$2.96 $2.96

-60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$3.08 $3.08

-70.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$1.94 $1.94

-56.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$12.09 $12.09

-80.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$15.53 $15.53

-23.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.53 $2.53

-54.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.22 $3.22

-24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$1.48 $1.48

29.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$14.90 $14.90

-47.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$0.99 $0.99

-5.05%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$35.9K $35.9K

-50.30%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$26.7K $26.7K

1.33%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$487 $487

-82.89%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$78.9 $78.9

-87.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$72.9 $72.9

-66.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$11.82 $11.82

-65.57%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$465 $465

-34.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$10.5K $10.5K

-42.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$46.71 $46.71

28.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$56.7 $56.7

-42.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$92.8 $92.8

8.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$105 $105

2.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$1,811 $1,811

-54.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.71

135.20%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Sabana Grande: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $80.0 in Sabana Grande. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $383 – 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

Medellin vs Sabana Grande: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabana Grande is pricier by about 41%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $2,159 in Sabana Grande. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $80.0 in Sabana Grande. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Sabana Grande, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Sabana Grande at $1,439. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabana Grande it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Sabana Grande makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.