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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $927 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,471 in San Miguelito, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,015 in San Miguelito, rent included.

Medellin costs about 77% more than San Miguelito, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while San Miguelito is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$9.94 PAB 9.94

-19.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$45.13 PAB 45.13

7.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$8.10 PAB 8.10

16.30%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$4.06 PAB 4.06

-27.59%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.96 PAB 1.96

-5.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.50 PAB 1.50

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.93 PAB 2.93

9.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.95 PAB 3.95

44.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.92 PAB 1.92

-25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.37 PAB 2.37

1.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$3.09 PAB 3.09

-44.98%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$2.78 PAB 2.78

3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$12.51 PAB 12.51

-19.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.57 PAB 6.57

51.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.11 PAB 10.11

40.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$4.46 PAB 4.46

-10.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-9.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$3.92 PAB 3.92

-45.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$3.88 PAB 3.88

-40.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.20 PAB 3.20

-37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$4.29 PAB 4.29

-64.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$2.25 PAB 2.25

-46.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.77 PAB 1.77

-27.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$5.85 PAB 5.85

-34.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$10.91 PAB 10.91

28.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.41 PAB 1.41

21.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.74 PAB 2.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$2.55 PAB 2.55

-48.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$1.78 PAB 1.78

21.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$22.10 PAB 22.10

-62.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.17 PAB 1.17

16.24%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$21.7K PAB 21.7K

26.70%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

74.04%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$130 PAB 130

29.33%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$29.22 PAB 29.22

-53.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$48.96 PAB 48.96

-42.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$49.16 PAB 49.16

-7.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$8.23 PAB 8.23

-19.20%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$541 PAB 541

48.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$9,516 PAB 9,516

-3.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$58.9 PAB 58.9

48.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$46.39 PAB 46.39

27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$95.4 PAB 95.4

45.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$117 PAB 117

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

6.39

71.21%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for San Miguelito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in San Miguelito. Groceries tell a different story – $300 in Medellin vs $318 in San Miguelito – 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 Miguelito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 77%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,390 in San Miguelito. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in San Miguelito. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% 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 Miguelito, where all-in costs run around $927, than in Medellin at $1,641. In San Miguelito it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Miguelito – 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 Miguelito. 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.