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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,581 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $2,432 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $3,283 in San Rafael, rent included.

Medellin is about 36% cheaper than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 24% below the global median, while San Rafael is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$11.00 ₡4,971

-45.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$58.8 ₡26.6K

-43.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.20 ₡4,610

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.92 ₡1,772

-58.42%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.99 ₡898

-45.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.65 ₡747

-55.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$2.94 ₡1,330

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.53 ₡2,047

-28.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$2.03 ₡916

-48.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.90 ₡1,308

-55.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.21 ₡1,000

-40.27%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$2.88 ₡1,303

-21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$9.99 ₡4,512

-56.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$9.09 ₡4,108

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$13.48 ₡6,092

-36.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$4.43 ₡2,002

-49.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.49 ₡675

-28.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$4.21 ₡1,903

-63.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$3.45 ₡1,557

-58.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$3.38 ₡1,528

-65.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$3.21 ₡1,452

-63.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 ₡442

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.91 ₡1,317

-69.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$5.18 ₡2,338

-56.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$22.05 ₡9,961

-49.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$2.53 ₡1,142

-54.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.95 ₡1,332

-19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$1.00 ₡454

-16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$1.82 ₡822

-22.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.87 ₡847

1.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$7.95 ₡3,591

-2.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.46 ₡661

-30.82%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$37.3K ₡16.9M

-52.88%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$32.1K ₡14.5M

-17.40%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$92.5 ₡41.8K

-9.52%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$26.41 ₡11.9K

-64.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$60.6 ₡27.4K

-60.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$56.7 ₡25.6K

-55.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$23.72 ₡10.7K

-19.31%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$9.75 ₡4,406

-57.95%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$560 ₡253.0K

-44.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$12.7K ₡5.7M

-52.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$61.8 ₡27.9K

-6.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$51.4 ₡23.2K

-36.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$124 ₡56.1K

-19.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$107 ₡48.1K

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$767 ₡346.7K

-37.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$595 ₡268.7K

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$1,524 ₡688.6K

-45.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$963 ₡434.9K

-24.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.17

32.06%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $767 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 $59.0 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $369 – 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 55%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $2,371 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 $33.00 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 94% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in San Rafael at $1,581. 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.