Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Cruz Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Cruz

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $818 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,366 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,914 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Santa Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Cruz 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$2.93 BOB 20.11

104.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$26.95 BOB 185

21.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.08 BOB 48.54

0.14%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$2.72 BOB 18.63

-37.13%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.82 BOB 5.65

34.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.66 BOB 4.54

18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.43 BOB 9.82

17.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.94 BOB 13.29

58.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.08 BOB 7.42

0.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.34 BOB 9.23

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.34 BOB 9.18

2.99%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.84 BOB 12.66

19.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$4.58 BOB 31.40

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.14 BOB 28.40

35.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$6.28 BOB 43.05

41.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$2.75 BOB 18.89

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.92 BOB 6.31

15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$1.13 BOB 7.73

32.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$1.04 BOB 7.10

32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.92 BOB 6.31

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.94 BOB 6.43

23.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.80 BOB 5.50

11.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.11 BOB 7.64

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.13 BOB 14.61

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$7.44 BOB 51.1

43.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.47 BOB 10.07

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$2.05 BOB 14.06

20.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.30 BOB 2.05

186.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$21.23 BOB 146

95.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$2.88 BOB 19.73

-48.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.47 BOB 10.07

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$7.29 BOB 50.0

6.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.55 BOB 3.77

72.73%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

-38.55%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

-2.25%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$54.1 BOB 371

51.92%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$22.94 BOB 157

-58.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$33.45 BOB 229

-27.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$31.55 BOB 216

-17.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$21.52 BOB 148

-11.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.04 BOB 48.28

-44.18%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$201 BOB 1,377

54.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

40.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$42.30 BOB 290

38.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$48.34 BOB 332

-33.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$84.6 BOB 580

21.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$60.0 BOB 411

80.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$401 BOB 2,753

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$261 BOB 1,793

44.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$754 BOB 5,170

11.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$641 BOB 4,394

13.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

84.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$844 BOB 5,788

43.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$526 BOB 3,608

-2.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

6.67

101.35%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $401 in Santa Cruz. 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 3% higher in Santa Cruz, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $167 – making Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 24%, 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 $1,228 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Cruz, 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $818 in Santa Cruz. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – 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 Santa Cruz. 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.