Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint-Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saint-Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $783 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,274 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,765 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 32% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Saint-Louis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Saint-Louis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$3.48 F CFA 1,998

77.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

-38.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$10.20 F CFA 5,854

-28.04%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$4.59 F CFA 2,635

-62.53%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.92 F CFA 530

14.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.06 F CFA 606

-27.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.81 F CFA 1,038

-6.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$4.47 F CFA 2,567

-29.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.64 F CFA 1,515

-60.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.27 F CFA 156

381.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.60 F CFA 918

-12.50%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$2.71 F CFA 1,555

-20.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$12.92 F CFA 7,416

-66.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$9.08 F CFA 5,214

-35.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$10.94 F CFA 6,279

-21.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.74 F CFA 1,573

-16.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$1.90 F CFA 1,091

-41.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.60 F CFA 1,493

-41.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.08 F CFA 1,194

-35.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.49 F CFA 858

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.35 F CFA 774

-16.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.02 F CFA 588

-16.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.68 F CFA 390

33.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.55 F CFA 888

50.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$17.11 F CFA 9,826

-27.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.19 F CFA 685

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.33 F CFA 1,338

6.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.92 F CFA 528

54.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$2.85 F CFA 1,635

-32.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

-56.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-45.00%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$36.0K F CFA 20.7M

-49.92%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$50.3K F CFA 28.9M

-47.04%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$140 F CFA 80.1K

-42.10%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$9.72 F CFA 5,582

2.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

-51.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$9.06 F CFA 5,200

-56.07%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$267 F CFA 153.1K

14.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

-16.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

-14.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

-26.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$103 F CFA 59.1K

-2.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$128 F CFA 73.7K

-16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$443 F CFA 254.2K

7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.25

62.79%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $443 in Saint-Louis. 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 $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $273 – 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-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,174 in Saint-Louis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Saint-Louis, 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 $53.0 in Saint-Louis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 42% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $783, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Saint-Louis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saint-Louis – 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-Louis. 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.