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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,061 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,748 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $2,434 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Medellin is about 3% 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 23% lower, San Juan del Sur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$4.25 NIO 156

44.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$33.73 NIO 1,235

-3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.54 NIO 203

32.49%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$2.43 NIO 88.8

-29.22%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.79 NIO 28.88

32.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.67 NIO 24.45

14.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$1.33 NIO 48.78

27.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.03 NIO 74.5

56.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.26 NIO 46.32

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.53 NIO 56.0

-15.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.17 NIO 42.74

19.66%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.87 NIO 68.3

15.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$7.78 NIO 285

-43.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$6.48 NIO 237

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.15 NIO 298

6.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$4.00 NIO 146

-43.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$0.83 NIO 30.35

33.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.83 NIO 67.2

-16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-37.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$3.22 NIO 118

-64.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$2.16 NIO 79.2

-47.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.07 NIO 39.10

-20.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.06 NIO 38.70

-14.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$2.71 NIO 99.4

-13.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.99 NIO 366

23.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.42 NIO 51.9

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$2.21 NIO 80.8

12.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$1.47 NIO 53.8

-3.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.85 NIO 251

11.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.24 NIO 45.37

-20.16%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

-19.96%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

1.76%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$42.79 NIO 1,567

88.85%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$10.45 NIO 383

-4.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$36.21 NIO 1,326

-33.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$30.32 NIO 1,111

-17.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$8.10 NIO 297

-50.86%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$123 NIO 4,499

148.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

0.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$75.9 NIO 2,780

-23.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$72.9 NIO 2,668

-55.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$134 NIO 4,914

-24.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$108 NIO 3,951

-0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$464 NIO 17.0K

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$402 NIO 14.7K

-6.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$962 NIO 35.2K

-12.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$961 NIO 35.2K

-23.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$354 NIO 13.0K

74.40%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $464 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 74% 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: $193 vs $226 – 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 3%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,592 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 17% 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 $1,031, than in San Juan del Sur at $1,061. 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.