Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Antonio Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Antonio

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $418 in San Antonio, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $694 in San Antonio, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $970 in San Antonio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 147% more than San Antonio, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Antonio are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Antonio 69% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.51 ₲27.2K

36.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$26.15 ₲157.7K

24.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$4.55 ₲27.4K

61.32%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.96 ₲11.8K

-12.24%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.89 ₲5,393

17.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.47 ₲2,834

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.48 ₲8,898

14.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.85 ₲11.2K

71.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.91 ₲5,494

15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.99 ₲5,999

31.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$0.98 ₲5,924

42.86%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.60 ₲9,646

35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.82 ₲41.2K

-35.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.23 ₲19.5K

82.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.47 ₲39.0K

33.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$2.03 ₲12.3K

12.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.77 ₲4,668

44.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.94 ₲5,682

62.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.65 ₲9,960

-18.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$1.11 ₲6,674

1.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.14 ₲6,862

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.60 ₲3,602

41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.53 ₲3,168

71.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$1.36 ₲8,177

72.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$8.41 ₲50.7K

47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$0.72 ₲4,314

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.38 ₲8,301

80.43%

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

$0.60 ₲3,614

136.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.73 ₲4,384

163.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.99 ₲54.2K

-14.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.89 ₲5,359

11.24%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$14.4K ₲87.1M

24.78%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$23.9K ₲144.4M

11.24%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$41.59 ₲250.8K

94.30%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$13.57 ₲81.8K

-26.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.15 ₲91.4K

59.60%

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

$5.18 ₲31.2K

-23.17%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$165 ₲995.2K

84.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$3,267 ₲19.7M

85.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$48.43 ₲292.1K

20.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$30.90 ₲186.3K

4.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$71.1 ₲428.8K

41.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$51.9 ₲312.7K

107.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

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

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Antonio: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in San Antonio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $150 – making San Antonio 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 San Antonio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 147%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $627 in San Antonio. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in San Antonio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Antonio, where all-in costs run around $418, than in Medellin at $1,031. In San Antonio it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Antonio – 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 San Antonio. 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.