Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Lorenzo Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Lorenzo

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $431 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $722 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,013 in San Lorenzo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 135% more than San Lorenzo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Lorenzo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Lorenzo 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.46 ₲27.2K

34.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$26.34 ₲160.5K

24.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$4.51 ₲27.5K

57.21%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.89 ₲11.5K

-9.52%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$0.84 ₲5,143

30.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.47 ₲2,854

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.43 ₲8,724

17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.91 ₲11.6K

60.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.86 ₲5,243

26.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$0.57 ₲3,452

121.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$0.78 ₲4,776

76.92%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.66 ₲10.1K

31.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.97 ₲36.4K

-26.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$2.94 ₲17.9K

91.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.09 ₲37.1K

45.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.68 ₲10.3K

39.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$0.78 ₲4,753

35.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.76 ₲4,632

97.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.10 ₲6,732

25.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.71 ₲4,325

61.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.77 ₲4,677

50.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.38 ₲2,325

134.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.36 ₲2,223

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.39 ₲8,491

64.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$3.61 ₲22.0K

194.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$0.62 ₲3,768

93.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$0.74 ₲4,535

233.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.45 ₲2,739

91.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$35.50 ₲216.4K

16.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.65 ₲3,946

126.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.79 ₲4,806

148.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.04 ₲24.6K

91.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.84 ₲5,108

13.10%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$14.6K ₲88.7M

24.56%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$24.4K ₲149.0M

8.36%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$42.73 ₲260.4K

92.49%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$13.79 ₲84.1K

-31.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$15.37 ₲93.7K

57.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$15.21 ₲92.7K

70.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$8.59 ₲52.4K

121.19%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.30 ₲26.2K

-8.60%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$167 ₲1.0M

85.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$3,223 ₲19.6M

85.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$48.77 ₲297.2K

20.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$30.01 ₲182.9K

7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$71.0 ₲432.7K

44.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$47.95 ₲292.2K

126.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Lorenzo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $26.00 in San Lorenzo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $118 – making San Lorenzo 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 Lorenzo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 135%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $647 in San Lorenzo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $26.00 in San Lorenzo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $431 in San Lorenzo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Lorenzo, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Lorenzo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Lorenzo – 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 Lorenzo. 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.