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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $786 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,260 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $1,734 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Juan 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$2.72 ₱168

117.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$8.60 ₱530

280.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$3.63 ₱224

98.35%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$2.85 ₱176

-40.35%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$0.83 ₱51.5

32.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.48 ₱29.48

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.43 ₱88.5

16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.11 ₱130

46.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.81 ₱112

-41.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.56 ₱96.5

-19.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$0.98 ₱60.6

41.84%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$2.01 ₱124

12.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$7.85 ₱484

-44.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.03 ₱310

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.44 ₱644

-15.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.27 ₱140

-1.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.55 ₱95.6

-30.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$3.20 ₱197

-52.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$1.20 ₱73.9

14.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.72 ₱106

-34.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$3.62 ₱223

-69.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.12 ₱69.2

-24.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.83 ₱51.1

9.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$2.91 ₱180

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$7.60 ₱469

46.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$0.68 ₱42.08

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$1.64 ₱101

44.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.18 ₱11.15

338.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$0.74 ₱45.42

94.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.24 ₱14.86

695.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$2.10 ₱129

281.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.12 ₱69.4

-16.07%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$28.8K ₱1.8M

-37.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$17.7K ₱1.1M

51.25%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$128 ₱7,872

-34.22%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$33.27 ₱2,052

-71.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$26.17 ₱1,614

-7.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$70.7 ₱4,362

-63.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$4.49 ₱277

324.05%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$3.89 ₱240

0.77%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$149 ₱9,215

105.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$4,301 ₱265.3K

37.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$45.82 ₱2,826

26.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$34.57 ₱2,132

-7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$67.7 ₱4,176

47.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$116 ₱7,181

-7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$263 ₱16.2K

85.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$107 ₱6,577

245.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,295 ₱79.9K

-36.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$393 ₱24.2K

82.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$2,060 ₱127.1K

41.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$251 ₱15.5K

117.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.17

117.67%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Juan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $263 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 117% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $9.00 in San Juan. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $214 in San Juan – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 31%, 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,179 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 $9.00 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $786, than in Medellin at $1,034. 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.

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.