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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $595 in San Antonio, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $991 in San Antonio, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $1,387 in San Antonio, rent included.

Medellin costs about 182% more than San Antonio, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Antonio is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 24.9K

$7.05 ₲41.9K

13.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 148.7K

$42.34 ₲251.9K

13.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.7K

$6.72 ₲40.0K

47.17%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,724

$3.26 ₲19.4K

-3.99%

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

$1.91 COP 5,928

$1.04 ₲6,214

83.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,692

$0.62 ₲3,694

143.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,705

$1.92 ₲11.4K

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$1.87 ₲11.1K

207.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,489

$1.26 ₲7,493

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,725

$1.46 ₲8,708

70.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,510

$1.34 ₲7,961

32.09%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,195

$2.37 ₲14.1K

24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.3K

$9.50 ₲56.5K

6.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.4K

$4.94 ₲29.4K

104.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.4K

$9.90 ₲58.9K

44.44%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.8K

$2.91 ₲17.3K

42.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 4,997

$1.24 ₲7,397

29.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,976

$1.16 ₲6,874

93.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 6,997

$2.27 ₲13.5K

-0.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,347

$1.29 ₲7,696

58.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,769

$1.26 ₲7,497

22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,635

$0.84 ₲4,986

39.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,059

$0.68 ₲4,028

92.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.1K

$2.23 ₲13.3K

74.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.5K

$8.67 ₲51.6K

61.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,415

$1.34 ₲7,983

29.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,917

$1.66 ₲9,860

72.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,776

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 250.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,066

$1.46 ₲8,706

-10.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,796

$1.46 ₲8,688

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.1K

$10.25 ₲61.0K

-15.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,241

$1.20 ₲7,118

14.17%

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

$27.8K COP 86.5M

$16.8K ₲100.2M

65.26%

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

$35.8K COP 111.1M

$34.0K ₲202.0M

5.36%

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

$177 COP 550.8K

$48.70 ₲289.8K

264.07%

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

$13.88 COP 43.1K

$16.61 ₲98.9K

-16.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.4K

$21.00 ₲125.0K

41.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 139.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.2K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.6K

$8.45 ₲50.3K

-21.30%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$176 ₲1.0M

361.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.5M

$5,741 ₲34.2M

60.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 278.0K

$61.9 ₲368.4K

44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 183.2K

$55.9 ₲332.3K

5.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 429.4K

$103 ₲610.9K

34.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 317.3K

$68.7 ₲408.9K

48.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

10.15

7.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Antonio: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $42.00 in San Antonio. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $208 – 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 182%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $893 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $42.00 in San Antonio. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% 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 $595, than in Medellin at $1,681. 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.