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 $1,687 per month in Medellin vs $757 in San Juan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,535 per month in Medellin vs $1,317 in San Juan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,383 per month in Medellin vs $1,878 in San Juan, rent included.

Medellin costs about 123% more than San Juan, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 23% above the global median, while San Juan is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 COP 24.2K

$10.40 TTD 69.8

-24.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.53 COP 136.5K

$59.4 TTD 399

-24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 COP 28.5K

$7.88 TTD 52.9

17.89%

Cappuccino

$2.90 COP 8,874

$3.82 TTD 25.63

-24.08%

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

$1.81 COP 5,541

$1.21 TTD 8.15

49.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 COP 4,741

$0.78 TTD 5.21

98.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 9,962

$2.27 TTD 15.27

43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 COP 18.0K

$2.91 TTD 19.52

102.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 COP 4,230

$1.99 TTD 13.34

-30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 COP 7,517

$2.29 TTD 15.38

6.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,617

$2.89 TTD 19.39

-47.75%

Eggs

$2.78 COP 8,516

$3.91 TTD 26.28

-28.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 COP 27.7K

$6.77 TTD 45.46

33.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.65 COP 32.6K

$10.05 TTD 67.5

5.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 COP 44.8K

$8.69 TTD 58.4

68.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.97 COP 12.2K

$5.36 TTD 35.96

-25.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,219

$2.58 TTD 17.29

-46.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,056

$3.63 TTD 24.36

-36.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 COP 6,185

$4.40 TTD 29.55

-54.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 COP 6,390

$0.71 TTD 4.77

194.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 4,996

$0.72 TTD 4.81

126.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 COP 3,313

$1.44 TTD 9.68

-25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 COP 3,843

$1.16 TTD 7.81

7.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.03 COP 12.4K

$5.62 TTD 37.74

-28.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.47 COP 41.3K

$17.67 TTD 119

-23.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 4,904

$1.56 TTD 10.47

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 COP 9,189

$2.95 TTD 19.80

1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.18 COP 3,611

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$79.9 COP 244.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.61 COP 4,920

$0.92 TTD 6.19

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.13 COP 6,533

$0.85 TTD 5.71

150.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.52 COP 26.1K

$14.95 TTD 100

-43.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,142

$1.16 TTD 7.81

16.38%

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

$28.3K COP 86.8M

$36.4K TTD 244.6K

-22.25%

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

$35.7K COP 109.4M

$41.9K TTD 281.4K

-14.84%

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

$151 COP 463.8K

$44.12 TTD 296

243.11%

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

$13.10 COP 40.1K

$42.10 TTD 283

-68.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.30 COP 99.0K

$46.00 TTD 309

-29.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.33 COP 141.9K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.26 COP 52.9K

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 COP 19.7K

$8.76 TTD 58.8

-26.60%

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

$835 COP 2.6M

$393 TTD 2,637

112.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,887 COP 27.2M

$10.4K TTD 69.8K

-14.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.3 COP 273.7K

$54.7 TTD 367

63.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 COP 169.5K

$37.55 TTD 252

47.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$137 COP 418.5K

$87.5 TTD 587

56.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 335.1K

$87.9 TTD 590

24.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$952 COP 2.9M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,020 COP 6.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 COP 3.5M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,696 COP 11.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 COP 4.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$625 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

5.75

81.39%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 17, 2026

Last update for San Juan: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in San Juan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $318 – 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 123%, 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 $2,530 per month in Medellin and $1,135 in San Juan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in San Juan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan, where all-in costs run around $757, than in Medellin at $1,687. 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.