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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $868 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,372 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $1,877 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 89% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while San Juan is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.11 ARS 10.7K

13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$40.20 ARS 60.6K

20.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$12.48 ARS 18.8K

-24.52%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$2.58 ARS 3,890

13.95%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$2.19 ARS 3,301

-15.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.75 ARS 2,640

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.95 ARS 5,959

-18.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$4.40 ARS 6,638

29.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.32 ARS 1,998

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.41 ARS 2,124

70.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.41 ARS 2,123

20.57%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.46 ARS 2,201

97.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$2.79 ARS 4,207

260.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.28 ARS 9,467

58.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.79 ARS 16.3K

31.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$1.39 ARS 2,092

186.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.45 ARS 2,183

8.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$1.35 ARS 2,030

59.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$1.41 ARS 2,120

63.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$1.39 ARS 2,098

43.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$1.44 ARS 2,173

4.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.39 ARS 2,100

-13.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.45 ARS 2,195

-11.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$2.83 ARS 4,263

35.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$5.07 ARS 7,642

176.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.44 ARS 2,175

18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$1.41 ARS 2,122

94.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.03 ARS 1,547

21.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.02 ARS 3,046

-35.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.98 ARS 1,478

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$4.86 ARS 7,328

70.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.12 ARS 1,687

21.43%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

3.21%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

10.31%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$137 ARS 206.8K

23.05%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

33.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$18.04 ARS 27.2K

56.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$29.82 ARS 45.0K

53.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$7.17 ARS 10.8K

-7.25%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$173 ARS 260.7K

364.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,198 ARS 6.3M

118.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$106 ARS 159.8K

-17.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$43.07 ARS 65.0K

37.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$57.7 ARS 87.0K

140.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$35.91 ARS 54.2K

184.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$250 ARS 376.9K

328.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$203 ARS 305.6K

222.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$507 ARS 765.1K

279.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$395 ARS 595.1K

165.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$686 ARS 1.0M

-4.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

-79.74%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $250 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 5% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $40.00 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $189 – 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 89%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,302 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $40.00 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $868, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.