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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $876 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,385 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,895 in Saint-Louis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 96% more than Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Saint-Louis is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$3.48 F CFA 1,962

130.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$55.7 F CFA 31.4K

-13.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$11.74 F CFA 6,615

-16.78%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$3.44 F CFA 1,940

-15.41%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$1.25 F CFA 704

55.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$0.87 F CFA 493

74.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$1.83 F CFA 1,033

68.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.40 F CFA 2,478

30.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$2.78 F CFA 1,568

-51.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$0.28 F CFA 158

753.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.74 F CFA 978

-2.30%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

10.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$17.34 F CFA 9,775

-42.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$9.58 F CFA 5,397

12.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$11.41 F CFA 6,432

29.10%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.26 F CFA 1,835

25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$1.91 F CFA 1,078

-17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$2.99 F CFA 1,684

-28.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

22.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.38 F CFA 778

48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.05 F CFA 592

42.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.19 F CFA 670

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$0.73 F CFA 413

58.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.28 F CFA 1,284

71.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$17.65 F CFA 9,947

-18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$1.61 F CFA 905

-1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$3.40 F CFA 1,918

-16.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$0.93 F CFA 526

37.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$2.18 F CFA 1,226

-4.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$17.55 F CFA 9,891

-50.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.68 F CFA 945

-22.62%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

$52.0K F CFA 29.3M

-46.76%

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

$50.4K F CFA 28.4M

-29.61%

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$209 F CFA 117.6K

-15.65%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

$11.91 F CFA 6,712

12.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$48.07 F CFA 27.1K

-37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$8.99 F CFA 5,066

-31.03%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$316 F CFA 178.2K

150.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

-16.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$60.4 F CFA 34.0K

41.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

$48.08 F CFA 27.1K

21.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

$88.9 F CFA 50.1K

53.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$101 F CFA 56.7K

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$450 F CFA 253.5K

135.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.75

25.03%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $450 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $56.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $301 in Saint-Louis – so Saint-Louis wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 96%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,313 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $56.0 in Saint-Louis. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saint-Louis, where all-in costs run around $876, than in Medellin at $1,716. 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.