Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanandaj Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanandaj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $400 in Sanandaj, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $666 in Sanandaj, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $932 in Sanandaj, rent included.

Medellin costs about 154% more than Sanandaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Sanandaj are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sanandaj 70% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$3.33 $3.33

78.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$16.67 $16.67

99.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$4.40 $4.40

64.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 $0.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$1.07 $1.07

52.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$0.83 $0.83

31.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.78 $0.78

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$0.74 $0.74

41.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$0.71 $0.71

81.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$2.09 $2.09

-36.84%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.02 $1.02

122.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$3.40 $3.40

27.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$2.76 $2.76

113.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$10.07 $10.07

-14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$1.10 $1.10

104.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.52 $1.52

-29.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$0.94 $0.94

61.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$0.70 $0.70

102.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$0.76 $0.76

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$0.76 $0.76

53.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.48 $0.48

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.48 $0.48

87.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$2.15 $2.15

4.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.17 $0.17

394.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$9.93 $9.93

322.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$0.37 $0.37

281.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.27 $0.27

603.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$2.01 $2.01

285.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$0.73 $0.73

38.36%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$71.4K $71.4K

-75.37%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$55.6K $55.6K

-52.31%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$10.13 $10.13

726.06%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$3.05 $3.05

209.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$5.66 $5.66

325.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$5.83 $5.83

334.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$12.32 $12.32

55.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$0.99 $0.99

314.14%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$115 $115

170.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$1,998 $1,998

199.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$15.68 $15.68

270.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$25.19 $25.19

29.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$62.2 $62.2

60.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$71.0 $71.0

52.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$156 $156

208.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$111 $111

242.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$331 $331

153.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$193 $193

273.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$795 $795

257.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$289 $289

323.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$259 $259

108.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

-38.95%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sanandaj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $156 in Sanandaj. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 109% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $17.00 in Sanandaj. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $115 – making Sanandaj 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 Sanandaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 154%, 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 $600 in Sanandaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanandaj, 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 $17.00 in Sanandaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $400 in Sanandaj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanandaj, where all-in costs run around $400, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Sanandaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanandaj – 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 Sanandaj. 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.