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 $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $899 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,427 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,955 in San Rafael, rent included.

Medellin costs about 13% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and San Rafael are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, San Rafael 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$10.06 ARS 14.5K

-40.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$19.79 ARS 28.5K

66.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.10 ARS 8,777

16.23%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$1.83 ARS 2,637

-6.56%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.02 ARS 1,466

7.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$1.03 ARS 1,478

-24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$0.98 ARS 1,415

71.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$1.47 ARS 2,115

108.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.05 ARS 1,507

3.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.49 ARS 2,137

-15.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.38 ARS 1,990

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.58 ARS 2,268

38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$5.64 ARS 8,115

-21.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$7.62 ARS 11.0K

-26.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$6.45 ARS 9,282

37.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.79 ARS 2,570

30.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.47 ARS 2,109

-27.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$1.51 ARS 2,174

-0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$0.85 ARS 1,228

62.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$0.65 ARS 930

76.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$0.71 ARS 1,027

63.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.61 ARS 876

45.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.24 ARS 1,778

-32.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$1.74 ARS 2,499

31.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$4.96 ARS 7,129

114.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.08 ARS 1,547

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.66 ARS 2,393

48.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.78 ARS 1,115

10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.41 ARS 590

258.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.98 ARS 1,415

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$4.94 ARS 7,110

56.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.90 ARS 1,297

5.56%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$31.8K ARS 45.8M

-43.00%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$33.4K ARS 48.1M

-20.79%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$76.9 ARS 110.6K

6.94%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$6.92 ARS 9,957

37.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$15.55 ARS 22.4K

55.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$25.95 ARS 37.3K

-0.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$13.87 ARS 20.0K

36.99%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.88 ARS 8,454

-33.16%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$104 ARS 150.0K

196.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

173.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$83.2 ARS 119.7K

-29.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$76.4 ARS 109.8K

-57.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$149 ARS 214.2K

-31.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$118 ARS 169.9K

-8.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$338 ARS 486.1K

40.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$242 ARS 347.6K

56.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$693 ARS 997.3K

20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$531 ARS 763.6K

36.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,059 ARS 3.0M

35.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 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: $188 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 13%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,349 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 5% 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 $899, than in Medellin at $1,013. 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.