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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $607 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $996 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,384 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 70% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Juan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$5.85 ARS 8,646

5.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$29.44 ARS 43.5K

10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.88 ARS 11.6K

-6.85%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.54 ARS 2,278

11.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.96 ARS 1,417

9.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.91 ARS 1,341

-15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.94 ARS 2,875

-12.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.98 ARS 4,402

6.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.71 ARS 1,055

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.66 ARS 975

96.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.24 ARS 1,828

12.90%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.74 ARS 2,568

24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.34 ARS 4,940

31.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$3.49 ARS 5,157

68.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$4.09 ARS 6,047

111.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.48 ARS 2,186

54.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.53 ARS 2,260

-27.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.54 ARS 2,272

-0.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.15 ARS 3,173

-37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.64 ARS 943

76.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.62 ARS 916

82.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.39 ARS 570

117.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$0.86 ARS 1,272

5.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.78 ARS 2,626

31.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.91 ARS 7,253

151.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.48 ARS 2,184

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.84 ARS 2,727

35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.29 ARS 427

189.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

$5.10 ARS 7,537

695.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.41 ARS 609

246.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.03 ARS 1,522

86.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.99 ARS 7,381

53.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.11 ARS 1,634

-10.81%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.6K ARS 46.6M

-42.87%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$21.0K ARS 31.1M

26.53%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$77.7 ARS 114.9K

3.98%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$5.10 ARS 7,544

95.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$10.17 ARS 15.0K

137.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$17.83 ARS 26.3K

40.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$6.07 ARS 8,967

215.49%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$1.97 ARS 2,916

102.03%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$102 ARS 150.9K

198.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,197 ARS 3.2M

175.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$49.17 ARS 72.7K

18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$49.82 ARS 73.6K

-35.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$99.7 ARS 147.4K

1.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$118 ARS 173.8K

-8.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$150 ARS 221.1K

218.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$91.6 ARS 135.3K

310.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$250 ARS 369.7K

237.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$204 ARS 301.1K

258.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,550 ARS 3.8M

26.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$2,083 ARS 3.1M

-34.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$709 ARS 1.0M

-13.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-83.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $150 in San Juan. 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 15% higher in San Juan, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $29.00 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $135 – making San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 70%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $911 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan, 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Medellin and $607 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Medellin at $1,031. In San Juan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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