Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sal Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sal

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $888 in Sal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,374 in Sal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,860 in Sal, rent included.

Medellin costs about 93% more than Sal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sal is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.2K

$5.95 CVE 564

34.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 151.7K

$46.67 CVE 4,428

3.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.7K

$11.41 CVE 1,083

-14.37%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,149

$2.43 CVE 231

19.75%

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

$1.94 COP 6,110

$2.72 CVE 258

-28.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,783

$1.18 CVE 112

28.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,721

$4.79 CVE 454

-35.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$3.08 CVE 293

86.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,287

$1.58 CVE 150

-13.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,505

$2.33 CVE 221

2.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,346

$1.23 CVE 117

38.21%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,021

$2.91 CVE 276

-1.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.2K

$9.60 CVE 911

3.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.9K

$7.82 CVE 742

37.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.3K

$16.71 CVE 1,586

-11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.34 CVE 317

22.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,940

$2.48 CVE 235

-36.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,682

$3.45 CVE 327

-38.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,959

$4.03 CVE 383

-45.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,435

$1.72 CVE 163

19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,728

$1.92 CVE 182

-21.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,740

$1.62 CVE 153

-26.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,640

$1.13 CVE 107

2.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.78 CVE 453

-18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.4K

$6.87 CVE 652

110.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,978

$4.14 CVE 393

-61.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,889

$1.96 CVE 186

44.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,672

$1.03 CVE 98.1

13.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,038

$2.08 CVE 198

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,576

$3.19 CVE 303

-34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

$13.22 CVE 1,254

-34.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,080

$1.37 CVE 130

-5.11%

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

$27.7K COP 86.9M

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

$35.5K COP 111.6M

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

$176 COP 553.4K

$63.5 CVE 6,024

177.32%

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

$13.37 COP 42.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.0K

$50.6 CVE 4,804

-40.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 140.7K

$29.27 CVE 2,777

52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$120 CVE 11.4K

559.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.1K

$30.98 CVE 2,939

176.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 183.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 428.4K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.1K

$145 CVE 13.8K

-29.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$267 CVE 25.4K

296.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$172 CVE 16.4K

294.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$317 CVE 30.1K

534.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$207 CVE 19.6K

465.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$682 CVE 64.7K

502.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$349 CVE 33.1K

387.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$267 CVE 25.3K

149.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

5.25

108.38%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $267 in Sal. 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 150% higher in Medellin, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $47.00 in Sal. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $307 in Sal – so Medellin 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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 93%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,331 in Sal. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sal, 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 $47.00 in Sal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sal, where all-in costs run around $888, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sal – 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 Sal. 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.