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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $778 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,264 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,750 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 30% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Saint-Louis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Saint-Louis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.45 F CFA 1,945

73.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$53.5 F CFA 30.2K

-38.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$10.42 F CFA 5,883

-31.96%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$4.51 F CFA 2,546

-62.08%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.84 F CFA 475

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.05 F CFA 595

-25.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.80 F CFA 1,018

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$4.28 F CFA 2,418

-28.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$2.57 F CFA 1,451

-57.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.27 F CFA 153

366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.62 F CFA 913

-14.81%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.60 F CFA 7,113

-65.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$9.22 F CFA 5,202

-38.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$10.95 F CFA 6,182

-18.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$2.82 F CFA 1,593

-17.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$2.00 F CFA 1,127

-47.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.60 F CFA 1,470

-42.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.06 F CFA 1,165

-33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.55 F CFA 875

-25.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.34 F CFA 756

-13.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.02 F CFA 573

-12.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.72 F CFA 408

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.64 F CFA 923

39.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$15.33 F CFA 8,651

-30.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.17 F CFA 661

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.24 F CFA 1,267

10.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.91 F CFA 514

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$2.78 F CFA 1,571

-29.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$17.72 F CFA 10.0K

-56.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.73 F CFA 974

-45.09%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$36.0K F CFA 20.3M

-49.63%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$49.7K F CFA 28.1M

-46.74%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$140 F CFA 79.2K

-41.38%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$9.67 F CFA 5,458

-1.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$50.6 F CFA 28.6K

-52.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$8.93 F CFA 5,043

-55.99%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$265 F CFA 149.7K

16.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,357 F CFA 4.2M

-18.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$69.5 F CFA 39.2K

-15.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$44.04 F CFA 24.9K

-26.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$103 F CFA 58.2K

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$130 F CFA 73.2K

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$443 F CFA 249.9K

7.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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: $188 vs $270 – 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 30%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,167 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 43% 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 $778, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.