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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $830 in San Pablo, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,268 in San Pablo, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,706 in San Pablo, rent included.

Medellin costs about 21% more than San Pablo, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Pablo are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, San Pablo 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$4.71 ₱289

25.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$13.91 ₱854

136.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$3.16 ₱194

135.13%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$2.89 ₱178

-42.91%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$0.45 ₱27.72

144.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.26 ₱15.83

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$0.72 ₱44.24

138.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.16 ₱133

47.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.71 ₱105

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$0.83 ₱50.8

51.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$0.69 ₱42.44

100.00%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.04 ₱125

6.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$5.27 ₱323

-14.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$3.85 ₱236

50.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$7.11 ₱437

26.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$4.47 ₱275

-48.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.04 ₱64.2

1.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$2.24 ₱138

-32.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.70 ₱105

-20.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.44 ₱88.6

-21.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.07 ₱65.9

9.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$0.90 ₱55.3

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.65 ₱39.94

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$2.52 ₱155

-11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$6.51 ₱400

86.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.13 ₱69.4

5.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.04 ₱125

21.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.28 ₱17.33

203.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$0.81 ₱49.78

75.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.22 ₱13.49

786.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$2.16 ₱132

265.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.09 ₱66.9

-9.17%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$25.6K ₱1.6M

-31.13%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

29.26%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$163 ₱9,985

-48.95%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$32.62 ₱2,003

-70.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$29.77 ₱1,828

-20.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$33.82 ₱2,077

-25.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$7.24 ₱445

-45.44%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$82.1 ₱5,039

284.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$2,743 ₱168.4K

117.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$17.81 ₱1,094

236.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$30.21 ₱1,855

5.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$96.8 ₱5,941

5.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$94.6 ₱5,809

13.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$126 ₱7,761

275.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$178 ₱10.9K

109.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$598 ₱36.7K

42.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$402 ₱24.7K

79.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$292 ₱17.9K

113.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Pablo: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $126 in San Pablo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 114% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $14.00 in San Pablo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $179 – making San Pablo 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 Pablo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 21%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,244 in San Pablo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pablo, 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 $14.00 in San Pablo. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Pablo, where all-in costs run around $830, than in Medellin at $1,003. In San Pablo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pablo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Pablo. 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.