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 $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,764 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,770 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $3,777 in San Rafael, rent included.

Medellin is about 5% cheaper than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and San Rafael sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, San Rafael by 29%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$12.15 ₡5,399

-33.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$59.0 ₡26.2K

-18.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$11.80 ₡5,246

-16.19%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$4.47 ₡1,985

-29.98%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$2.71 ₡1,202

-29.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$1.90 ₡844

-20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$3.30 ₡1,468

-5.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$4.51 ₡2,005

27.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$2.42 ₡1,074

-40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$3.16 ₡1,403

-21.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$2.45 ₡1,091

-27.76%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$3.60 ₡1,601

-17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$10.72 ₡4,765

-6.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$10.74 ₡4,771

-5.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$14.24 ₡6,330

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$5.14 ₡2,285

-19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.59 ₡709

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$4.71 ₡2,093

-52.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.87 ₡1,721

-41.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$3.77 ₡1,677

-45.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.76 ₡1,670

-59.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.08 ₡481

8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$3.24 ₡1,442

-59.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$5.94 ₡2,641

-34.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$20.32 ₡9,031

-31.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.86 ₡1,271

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$3.60 ₡1,598

-20.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

$1.16 ₡514

5.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$2.54 ₡1,130

-48.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$1.65 ₡732

32.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$8.87 ₡3,943

-1.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.49 ₡662

-8.05%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$21.7K ₡9.6M

28.34%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$35.3K ₡15.7M

1.46%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$96.2 ₡42.8K

84.32%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$36.89 ₡16.4K

-62.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$61.8 ₡27.5K

-51.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$65.7 ₡29.2K

-31.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$8.42 ₡3,743

-21.02%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$983 ₡437.0K

-17.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$17.0K ₡7.6M

-45.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$73.8 ₡32.8K

21.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$56.1 ₡24.9K

5.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$129 ₡57.3K

7.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$135 ₡59.8K

-24.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$822 ₡365.3K

29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$657 ₡292.1K

0.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$2,103 ₡934.7K

-10.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$1,424 ₡633.0K

-27.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.78

24.60%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $822 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $59.0 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $406 – making Medellin 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 – San Rafael is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,646 in San Rafael. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Medellin and $59.0 in San Rafael. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in San Rafael, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,681, than in San Rafael at $1,764. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Rafael 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.

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