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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,022 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,719 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,417 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Medellin is about 1% cheaper than San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Juan del Sur are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Juan del Sur 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.25 NIO 156

40.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$33.80 NIO 1,238

-2.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.52 NIO 202

28.44%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.35 NIO 86.0

-27.23%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.85 NIO 31.14

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.68 NIO 25.06

14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.30 NIO 47.48

29.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.02 NIO 73.9

51.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.26 NIO 46.20

-13.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.48 NIO 54.1

-14.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.17 NIO 42.88

17.95%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.96 NIO 71.7

11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$7.79 NIO 285

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.39 NIO 234

-11.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.97 NIO 292

11.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.85 NIO 141

-39.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.84 NIO 30.90

26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.78 NIO 65.1

-15.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.26 NIO 82.8

-38.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$3.14 NIO 115

-63.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$2.17 NIO 79.5

-46.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.01 NIO 36.99

-11.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.01 NIO 36.93

-16.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.61 NIO 95.4

-12.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.65 NIO 354

10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.46 NIO 53.5

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.23 NIO 81.9

10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.47 NIO 53.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.83 NIO 250

13.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.25 NIO 45.66

-24.00%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

-20.76%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

2.26%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$41.71 NIO 1,528

97.19%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$10.58 NIO 388

-10.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$36.56 NIO 1,339

-33.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.69 NIO 1,087

-12.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.80 NIO 286

-49.62%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$123 NIO 4,505

151.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

-0.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$78.8 NIO 2,884

-25.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$73.8 NIO 2,702

-56.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$130 NIO 4,761

-21.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$110 NIO 4,025

-1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$461 NIO 16.9K

3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$409 NIO 15.0K

-7.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$955 NIO 35.0K

-12.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$958 NIO 35.1K

-24.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$280 NIO 10.2K

83.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.25

31.02%

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 del Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $461 in San Juan del Sur. 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 83% higher in Medellin, 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $223 – making Medellin 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 del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Juan del Sur is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,532 in San Juan del Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in San Juan del Sur, 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 Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in San Juan del Sur at $1,022. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan del Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Juan del Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.