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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.01 COP 25.8K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.55 COP 150.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 COP 30.5K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,398

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

$1.75 COP 5,657

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 COP 4,273

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.13 COP 10.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.55 COP 17.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 COP 4,553

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 COP 7,878

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,258

Eggs

$2.82 COP 9,107

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 COP 31.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.32 COP 30.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.46 COP 43.4K

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 COP 12.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 COP 4,780

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 COP 6,856

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,271

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 COP 6,171

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 COP 5,228

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,706

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.26 COP 4,074

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 COP 12.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 COP 42.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 COP 5,149

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 COP 7,282

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,779

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 COP 242.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 COP 4,108

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 COP 6,616

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.20 COP 26.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 COP 4,098

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

$26.8K COP 86.4M

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

$34.4K COP 111.1M

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

$162 COP 523.6K

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

$13.12 COP 42.4K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.09 COP 90.7K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.33 COP 143.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.33 COP 52.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 COP 19.6K

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

$764 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,904 COP 28.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.0 COP 274.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 COP 185.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 COP 425.3K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.8 COP 309.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 COP 2.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,802 COP 5.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$993 COP 3.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,921 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,639 COP 5.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$626 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

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

Last update for Medellin: October 6, 2026

Last update for San Rafael del Sur: October 3, 2026

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 del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Families tend to lean toward San Rafael del Sur – 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 San Rafael del Sur. 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.