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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,555 per month in Medellin vs $830 in Saint Croix, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Medellin vs $1,715 in Saint Croix, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,072 per month in Medellin vs $2,599 in Saint Croix, rent included.

Medellin costs about 87% more than Saint Croix, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medellin sits 15% above the global median, while Saint Croix is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.59 COP 24.7K

$39.73 $39.73

-80.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.78 COP 145.7K

$149 $149

-69.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 30.1K

$10.03 $10.03

-7.88%

Cappuccino

$2.95 COP 9,591

$7.59 $7.59

-61.13%

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

$1.80 COP 5,861

$3.21 $3.21

-43.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 COP 4,391

$3.08 $3.08

-56.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 COP 9,544

$6.17 $6.17

-52.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 COP 17.8K

$8.23 $8.23

-33.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 COP 4,663

$2.57 $2.57

-44.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,785

$6.88 $6.88

-65.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,209

$10.80 $10.80

-85.19%

Eggs

$2.88 COP 9,364

$8.49 $8.49

-66.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.71 COP 31.6K

$22.03 $22.03

-55.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 COP 30.7K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.24 COP 43.1K

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.2K

$11.10 $11.10

-66.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,703

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 COP 6,829

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,930

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 COP 6,259

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,984

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 COP 3,549

$5.97 $5.97

-81.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 COP 3,843

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.79 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.16 COP 42.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 COP 5,337

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 COP 7,410

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.6 COP 239.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,157

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 COP 6,434

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 COP 4,211

$1.03 $1.03

25.24%

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

$26.8K COP 87.2M

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

$34.7K COP 112.9M

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

$158 COP 513.6K

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

$13.39 COP 43.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.28 COP 88.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.15 COP 143.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 COP 52.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.39 COP 20.8K

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

$777 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,800 COP 28.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.7 COP 269.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.1 COP 182.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 COP 425.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 COP 312.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 COP 3.3M

$2,529 $2,529

-60.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,826 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,907 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$620 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: September 28, 2026

Last update for Saint Croix: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Medellin versus $2,529 in Saint Croix. 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 $45.00 in Medellin versus $149 in Saint Croix. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $317 – 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 Croix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,333 per month in Medellin and $1,245 in Saint Croix. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint Croix, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $149 in Saint Croix. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint Croix, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Medellin at $1,555. In Saint Croix it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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