Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis Rio Colorado Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and San Luis Rio Colorado

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $1,072 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,710 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $2,348 in San Luis Rio Colorado, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than San Luis Rio Colorado, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and San Luis Rio Colorado are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Luis Rio Colorado 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$9.41 MX$163

-36.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.9K

$32.08 MX$557

2.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.5K

$7.99 MX$139

-7.13%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,675

$2.61 MX$45.21

-36.78%

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

$1.07 COP 3,673

$1.11 MX$19.31

-3.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,614

$0.90 MX$15.62

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,925

$2.86 MX$49.62

-39.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$4.99 MX$86.6

-35.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,607

$1.59 MX$27.57

-33.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,492

$2.54 MX$44.00

-48.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,604

$1.75 MX$30.43

-23.43%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,543

$3.22 MX$55.9

-31.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.2K

$7.70 MX$134

-42.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.6K

$5.88 MX$102

-3.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.3K

$10.11 MX$175

-15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,046

$2.71 MX$47.04

-13.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,815

$1.49 MX$25.91

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,225

$1.81 MX$31.40

-16.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,694

$1.64 MX$28.49

-16.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,962

$1.68 MX$29.11

-31.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,055

$1.87 MX$32.46

-36.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,893

$1.10 MX$19.06

-23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,940

$1.02 MX$17.66

-15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,776

$4.00 MX$69.4

-43.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.9K

$8.46 MX$147

37.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,121

$1.87 MX$32.43

-35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,508

$3.21 MX$55.7

-22.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,729

$0.61 MX$10.57

29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 140.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,038

$2.84 MX$49.33

-48.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,587

$1.52 MX$26.43

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.7K

$3.11 MX$54.0

149.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,474

$1.28 MX$22.16

-21.09%

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

$17.7K COP 60.7M

$23.0K MX$398.6K

-23.13%

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

$26.5K COP 90.9M

$21.0K MX$363.7K

26.24%

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

$81.1 COP 278.8K

$56.6 MX$983

43.21%

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

$9.43 COP 32.4K

$27.06 MX$470

-65.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 82.0K

$31.71 MX$550

-24.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.4K

$36.42 MX$632

-28.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.3K

$15.70 MX$272

19.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.1K

$4.62 MX$80.2

-11.47%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$208 MX$3,614

51.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.7M

$2,783 MX$48.3K

116.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 205.2K

$42.95 MX$745

39.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.9K

$35.06 MX$608

-8.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 347.9K

$86.9 MX$1,509

16.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 361.3K

$68.6 MX$1,191

53.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$515 MX$8,937

-5.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$401 MX$6,967

-9.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$935 MX$16.2K

-11.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$773 MX$13.4K

-5.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

$2,175 MX$37.7K

37.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

$1,322 MX$22.9K

-0.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.8

13.81%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for San Luis Rio Colorado: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $515 in San Luis Rio Colorado. 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 $32.00 in San Luis Rio Colorado. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $240 in San Luis Rio Colorado – 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 Luis Rio Colorado: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Luis Rio Colorado is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,608 in San Luis Rio Colorado. 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 $32.00 in San Luis Rio Colorado. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in San Luis Rio Colorado, 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 $1,028, than in San Luis Rio Colorado at $1,072. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Luis Rio Colorado 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 Luis Rio Colorado makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.