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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $907 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,430 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,954 in San Rafael, rent included.

Medellin costs about 14% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and San Rafael are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, San Rafael 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

-38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

63.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$5.97 ARS 8,817

22.95%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,600

$1.76 ARS 2,606

-2.27%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.01 ARS 1,494

3.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.97 ARS 1,440

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,488

$0.98 ARS 1,452

72.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.47 ARS 2,177

115.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$1.02 ARS 1,507

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.55 ARS 2,284

-16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.43 ARS 2,111

-2.10%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,047

$1.58 ARS 2,341

36.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$5.43 ARS 8,031

-19.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

-20.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.55 ARS 9,684

31.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,426

$1.76 ARS 2,605

29.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,604

$1.49 ARS 2,198

-25.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,983

$1.47 ARS 2,172

4.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$0.92 ARS 1,356

46.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.70 ARS 1,030

61.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$0.69 ARS 1,015

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.61 ARS 895

39.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.28 ARS 1,888

-28.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,630

$1.79 ARS 2,651

30.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.90 ARS 7,241

152.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.12 ARS 1,659

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.65 ARS 2,445

50.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,728

$0.83 ARS 1,220

1.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.45 ARS 667

215.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$1.02 ARS 1,511

88.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$4.78 ARS 7,059

60.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$0.83 ARS 1,228

19.28%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

-42.82%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

-19.03%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

4.19%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$6.57 ARS 9,713

51.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

56.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.7K

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

-5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

37.37%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$5.89 ARS 8,703

-32.43%

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

$305 COP 993.5K

$102 ARS 151.2K

198.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

183.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

-28.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

-57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$149 ARS 219.7K

-32.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$121 ARS 178.2K

-10.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$338 ARS 499.6K

40.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$236 ARS 348.3K

59.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$676 ARS 999.0K

24.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$539 ARS 797.1K

35.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

26.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

-14.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-83.00%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $338 in San Rafael. 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 $20.00 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $179 – making San Rafael 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,360 in San Rafael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, 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 $20.00 in San Rafael. 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Medellin at $1,031. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Rafael – 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 Rafael. 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.