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 $1,332 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $2,095 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,859 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin is about 22% cheaper than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Juan are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Juan 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$7.42 TTD 50.4

-20.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$59.5 TTD 404

-44.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.29 TTD 49.49

-1.23%

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.72 TTD 25.29

-54.30%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.10 TTD 7.46

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.71 TTD 4.80

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.88 TTD 12.75

-11.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$2.99 TTD 20.32

3.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$2.64 TTD 17.95

-59.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$2.73 TTD 18.56

-54.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$2.59 TTD 17.58

-46.33%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$4.89 TTD 33.22

-53.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$8.16 TTD 55.4

-46.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$10.49 TTD 71.2

-44.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$14.27 TTD 96.9

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$5.75 TTD 39.05

-61.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$2.51 TTD 17.07

-56.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$4.25 TTD 28.84

-64.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$4.82 TTD 32.74

-71.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$1.49 TTD 10.13

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.64 TTD 11.14

-31.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.95 TTD 13.21

-56.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$1.47 TTD 9.98

-38.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$6.08 TTD 41.30

-61.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$19.36 TTD 131

-42.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$2.19 TTD 14.85

-45.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.75 TTD 18.65

-13.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$1.00 TTD 6.80

44.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$1.23 TTD 8.36

55.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$14.72 TTD 99.9

-45.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.09 TTD 7.41

-13.76%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$33.4K TTD 226.5K

-46.29%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$38.2K TTD 259.2K

-29.81%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$79.8 TTD 542

5.20%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$46.97 TTD 319

-79.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$62.7 TTD 426

-61.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$9.97 TTD 67.7

-60.68%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$323 TTD 2,191

-5.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$7,306 TTD 49.6K

-18.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$59.0 TTD 401

-1.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$37.93 TTD 258

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$146 TTD 989

-31.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$129 TTD 876

-16.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$754 TTD 5,119

-35.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$448 TTD 3,042

-17.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$1,051 TTD 7,134

-21.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$753 TTD 5,112

-4.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.38

149.63%

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 $754 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $60.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $377 – 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 $1,550 per month in Medellin and $1,998 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 $33.00 in Medellin and $60.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in San Juan, 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 $1,034, than in San Juan at $1,332. 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.