Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Saipan

For one person, living is cheaper in Medellin: $1,625 a month against $1,771 in Saipan, rent and utilities included – about $1,800 less a year. The total is higher in Saipan despite lower rent and utilities.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
Learn more

Medellin Living Index

Jump to prices

Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Saipan

🇲🇵 Northern Mariana Islands

$1,771

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Saipan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Saipan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,771 in Saipan, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Saipan $1,771

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $2,592 in Saipan, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Saipan $2,592

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $3,412 in Saipan, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Saipan $3,412

Medellin is about 8% cheaper than Saipan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Medellin and Saipan sit above the global median – Medellin by 20%, Saipan by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$14.97 $14.97

-44.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$42.86 $42.86

9.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$14.78 $14.78

-37.48%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$5.48 $5.48

-44.34%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$2.01 $2.01

-10.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$1.37 $1.37

0.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$6.04 $6.04

-46.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$7.40 $7.40

-24.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$2.58 $2.58

-41.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$5.68 $5.68

-58.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$45.44 $45.44

-96.26%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$5.91 $5.91

-49.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$13.32 $13.32

-26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$6.57 $6.57

111.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$6.54 $6.54

-36.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$6.40 $6.40

-65.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$2.10 $2.10

-5.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$2.21 $2.21

-24.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$4.89 $4.89

-75.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$14.86 $14.86

-7.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$4.87 $4.87

-73.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.44 $1.44

-6.25%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$36.8K $36.8K

-5.47%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$22.3K $22.3K

55.64%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$380 $380

-56.17%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$61.0 $61.0

-77.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$90.4 $90.4

-67.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$60.9 $60.9

-25.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

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

$790 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$39.41 $39.41

150.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$789 $789

30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$375 $375

65.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$778 $778

141.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$812 $812

24.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$1,019 $1,019

-34.89%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Saipan: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Saipan

–

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Saipan

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Saipan

–

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Saipan

–

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Saipan

–

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Saipan

–

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Saipan

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $789 in Saipan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 54% higher in Saipan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Saipan. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Medellin vs $493 in Saipan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇲🇵 Saipan

🕒 Local time

10:15 10:15 AM

01:15 1:15 AM

15 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

48,220 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Medellin Saipan 14,870 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Saipan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Saipan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Saipan is pricier by about 9%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $2,657 in Saipan. 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.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Saipan, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Saipan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,625, than in Saipan at $1,771. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Saipan 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.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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