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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $2,215 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $3,318 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $4,422 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin is about 23% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Juan sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, San Juan by 61%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

$18.92 $18.92

-57.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.3K

$82.5 $82.5

-41.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

$9.32 $9.32

4.83%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,185

$3.71 $3.71

-21.56%

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

$1.94 COP 6,134

$1.77 $1.77

9.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,801

$1.44 $1.44

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,759

$2.95 $2.95

4.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

$4.94 $4.94

16.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,304

$2.28 $2.28

-40.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,534

$3.68 $3.68

-35.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,366

$2.40 $2.40

-29.17%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,056

$7.55 $7.55

-61.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.4K

$12.38 $12.38

-19.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$9.73 $9.73

10.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.5K

$13.48 $13.48

9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$5.13 $5.13

-20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,960

$2.61 $2.61

-39.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,708

$4.91 $4.91

-56.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,985

$4.87 $4.87

-54.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,460

$3.74 $3.74

-45.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,747

$3.99 $3.99

-62.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,755

$3.54 $3.54

-66.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,654

$1.59 $1.59

-27.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$12.17 $12.17

-67.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.6K

$15.64 $15.64

-7.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,997

$2.99 $2.99

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,923

$3.92 $3.92

-27.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,686

$0.77 $0.77

51.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 245.3K

$30.40 $30.40

155.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,054

$2.47 $2.47

-48.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,602

$1.49 $1.49

40.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.2K

$41.18 $41.18

-79.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,096

$1.16 $1.16

12.07%

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

$27.7K COP 87.3M

$39.7K $39.7K

-30.30%

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

$35.5K COP 112.0M

$28.1K $28.1K

26.23%

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

$176 COP 555.6K

$326 $326

-46.06%

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

$13.37 COP 42.2K

$69.0 $69.0

-80.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.3K

$70.1 $70.1

-57.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.2K

$40.23 $40.23

11.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.8K

$7.67 $7.67

122.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.6K

$10.36 $10.36

-40.15%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$837 $837

-5.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.5M

$12.4K $12.4K

-27.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 270.1K

$56.5 $56.5

51.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.5K

$60.5 $60.5

-3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 430.1K

$108 $108

26.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 325.4K

$112 $112

-8.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,789 $1,789

-40.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$846 $846

-19.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$2,909 $2,909

-30.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$1,465 $1,465

-20.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 13.0M

$7,363 $7,363

-44.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$3,334 $3,334

-48.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$2,743 $2,743

-75.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.55

67.02%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,789 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 312% higher in San Juan, 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $82.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $303 vs $418 – 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Juan is pricier by about 29%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $3,322 in San Juan. 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $82.0 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 $1,716 in Medellin and $2,215 in San Juan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,716, than in San Juan at $2,215. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Juan 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 makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.