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 $799 in San Pedro, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,252 in San Pedro, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,705 in San Pedro, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than San Pedro, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and San Pedro are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Pedro 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$4.72 ₱291

26.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$21.59 ₱1,331

52.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$3.06 ₱189

131.70%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.71 ₱167

-36.90%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.96 ₱59.2

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.35 ₱21.33

122.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.27 ₱78.5

32.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.65 ₱163

15.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.90 ₱117

-42.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.25 ₱76.9

0.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.08 ₱66.5

27.78%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.96 ₱121

11.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$6.91 ₱426

-36.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.32 ₱266

30.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$7.28 ₱449

22.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$3.40 ₱210

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$1.55 ₱95.6

-31.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$3.01 ₱186

-50.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.63 ₱101

-15.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$2.73 ₱168

-57.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$3.16 ₱195

-63.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.64 ₱101

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.69 ₱42.70

21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.24 ₱200

-29.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$9.00 ₱555

18.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.52 ₱93.5

-21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.06 ₱127

19.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.26 ₱15.87

230.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.78 ₱48.14

88.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.24 ₱14.88

716.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$2.17 ₱134

256.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.09 ₱67.0

-12.84%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$25.9K ₱1.6M

-29.94%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$20.3K ₱1.3M

30.18%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$134 ₱8,273

-38.70%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$21.51 ₱1,326

-55.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$27.77 ₱1,712

-12.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$33.82 ₱2,086

-23.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$4.48 ₱276

324.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$6.67 ₱411

-41.08%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$82.7 ₱5,101

274.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,816 ₱173.6K

111.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$31.53 ₱1,945

86.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$29.34 ₱1,809

10.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$81.9 ₱5,052

25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$46.27 ₱2,853

134.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$266 ₱16.4K

79.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$180 ₱11.1K

110.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$585 ₱36.1K

43.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$390 ₱24.0K

85.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$2,395 ₱147.7K

16.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$956 ₱58.9K

26.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$308 ₱19.0K

66.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

7.52

78.59%

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: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $266 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.

Salaries run about 66% 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 $22.00 in San Pedro. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $213 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 – Medellin is pricier by about 27%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,199 in San Pedro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Pedro, 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 $22.00 in San Pedro. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Pedro, where all-in costs run around $799, than in Medellin at $1,013. In San Pedro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Pedro – 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 Pedro. 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.