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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,622 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,116 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $2,610 in San Pedro, rent included.

Medellin is about 38% cheaper than San Pedro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while San Pedro is 21% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$9.25 BZD 18.51

-35.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$29.39 BZD 58.8

11.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.92 BZD 5.83

-41.44%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.34 BZD 2.68

-17.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.52 BZD 3.03

-48.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$3.05 BZD 6.10

-44.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$3.97 BZD 7.94

-22.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$4.12 BZD 8.25

-73.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.32 BZD 2.64

-4.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$4.22 BZD 8.44

-67.30%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.18 BZD 4.36

0.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.98 BZD 19.96

-55.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.32 BZD 12.64

-10.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.28 BZD 16.57

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$8.40 BZD 16.81

-72.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.07 BZD 2.15

-0.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.12 BZD 2.24

33.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$5.59 BZD 11.18

-75.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.76 BZD 5.53

-58.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.04 BZD 6.08

-61.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$3.53 BZD 7.06

-74.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.23 BZD 2.46

-31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$24.01 BZD 48.02

-55.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$2.48 BZD 4.96

-51.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.29 BZD 6.59

-24.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$4.95 BZD 9.90

-60.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.65 BZD 3.30

-42.42%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$174 BZD 347

-52.64%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$102 BZD 204

-76.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$29.41 BZD 58.8

-11.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

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

$309 COP 1.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$98.2 BZD 196

4.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$1,008 BZD 2,017

-52.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$746 BZD 1,492

-49.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$1,056 BZD 2,112

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$897 BZD 1,795

-19.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,648 BZD 5,296

5.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,622 BZD 3,244

-25.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $1,008 in San Pedro. 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 $29.00 in San Pedro. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $358 in San Pedro – 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Pedro is pricier by about 60%, 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 $2,432 in San Pedro. 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.

Groceries cost about 90% more in San Pedro, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $29.00 in San Pedro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,013, than in San Pedro at $1,622. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Pedro 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.

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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Pedro makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.