Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $2,363 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $3,396 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $4,429 in Saint Andrews, rent included.

Medellin is about 57% cheaper than Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while Saint Andrews is 77% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$17.07 CA$24.07

-65.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.4K

$69.4 CA$97.8

-52.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$11.25 CA$15.87

-36.71%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,480

$3.85 CA$5.43

-55.58%

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

$1.05 COP 3,370

$2.06 CA$2.91

-49.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,321

$1.66 CA$2.35

-56.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,524

$5.41 CA$7.63

-68.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$5.75 CA$8.11

-44.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,422

$2.11 CA$2.98

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,209

$2.73 CA$3.85

-52.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,273

$3.49 CA$4.92

-61.89%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,328

$3.52 CA$4.96

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$11.24 CA$15.85

-60.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$11.52 CA$16.25

-48.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$14.42 CA$20.34

-40.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,535

$4.17 CA$5.88

-43.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,541

$1.41 CA$1.99

-21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,718

$3.60 CA$5.08

-59.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,433

$3.68 CA$5.19

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,769

$2.42 CA$3.42

-51.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,760

$2.46 CA$3.47

-52.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,902

$2.62 CA$3.69

-65.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,704

$1.73 CA$2.44

-51.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,480

$14.05 CA$19.82

-83.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.94 CA$16.84

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,688

$2.80 CA$3.95

-58.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,780

$3.18 CA$4.48

-23.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,698

$2.34 CA$3.31

-64.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.2K

$61.8 CA$87.2

-33.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,535

$3.19 CA$4.50

-55.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,152

$1.50 CA$2.11

27.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.1K

$25.93 CA$36.58

-69.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,033

$1.11 CA$1.56

-15.32%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$25.3K CA$35.7K

-29.69%

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

$27.1K COP 87.0M

$20.5K CA$28.9K

32.40%

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

$83.3 COP 267.5K

$141 CA$199

-40.86%

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

$9.66 COP 31.0K

$43.76 CA$61.7

-77.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.8K

$61.9 CA$87.3

-60.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

$41.27 CA$58.2

-38.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$11.27 CA$15.90

-63.89%

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

$307 COP 985.2K

$737 CA$1,040

-58.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$11.8K CA$16.6K

-49.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.6K

$54.3 CA$76.6

10.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 104.9K

$38.97 CA$55.0

-16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 324.8K

$87.9 CA$124

14.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.2K

$109 CA$153

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

$1,339 CA$1,888

-64.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

$1,181 CA$1,665

-67.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

$2,023 CA$2,854

-59.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

$1,787 CA$2,521

-60.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.2M

$4,448 CA$6,274

-28.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.6M

$3,453 CA$4,871

-58.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.46

107.89%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 20, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,339 in Saint Andrews. 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 $33.00 in Medellin versus $69.0 in Saint Andrews. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $192 vs $361 – 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 Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saint Andrews is pricier by about 132%, 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 $3,545 in Saint Andrews. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $69.0 in Saint Andrews. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,018 in Medellin and $2,363 in Saint Andrews. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,018, than in Saint Andrews at $2,363. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saint Andrews 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.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Saint Andrews makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.