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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $597 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $986 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,376 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 24% lower, San Juan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.86 ARS 8,427

2.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$29.78 ARS 42.8K

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$8.23 ARS 11.8K

-13.85%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.50 ARS 2,160

14.00%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.97 ARS 1,396

13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.86 ARS 1,237

-9.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.98 ARS 2,851

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.93 ARS 4,214

4.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.72 ARS 1,031

51.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.71 ARS 1,025

77.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.22 ARS 1,751

13.11%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.67 ARS 2,398

31.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.45 ARS 4,970

27.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.56 ARS 5,123

58.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$3.90 ARS 5,607

127.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.51 ARS 2,175

54.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.47 ARS 2,113

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.49 ARS 2,141

0.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$2.08 ARS 2,999

-33.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.62 ARS 898

85.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.66 ARS 953

75.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.42 ARS 598

111.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.86 ARS 1,233

-2.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.70 ARS 2,451

34.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$5.11 ARS 7,356

108.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.54 ARS 2,216

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.84 ARS 2,641

34.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.29 ARS 414

196.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$4.95 ARS 7,126

736.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.41 ARS 592

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$1.02 ARS 1,468

92.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.04 ARS 7,248

53.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.09 ARS 1,570

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$32.1K ARS 46.2M

-43.50%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$21.3K ARS 30.6M

24.43%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$76.8 ARS 110.5K

7.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$4.97 ARS 7,143

91.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$10.16 ARS 14.6K

138.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$18.15 ARS 26.1K

42.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$5.89 ARS 8,469

222.58%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$2.01 ARS 2,897

95.52%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$104 ARS 149.0K

198.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,153 ARS 3.1M

177.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$49.46 ARS 71.2K

18.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$49.96 ARS 71.9K

-35.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$100 ARS 144.3K

2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$118 ARS 169.3K

-7.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$148 ARS 213.5K

220.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$89.6 ARS 128.8K

322.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$247 ARS 355.8K

238.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$197 ARS 283.6K

267.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,548 ARS 3.7M

9.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$2,112 ARS 3.0M

-42.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$713 ARS 1.0M

-28.23%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $148 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 39% 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 $30.00 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $895 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 $30.00 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 $1,013 in Medellin and $597 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 $597, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.