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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $802 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,332 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,862 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 29% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Santa Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Cruz 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$2.88 BOB 30.62

113.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$26.73 BOB 285

21.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.20 BOB 76.7

1.94%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$2.85 BOB 30.34

-39.65%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.78 BOB 8.32

34.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.66 BOB 6.99

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$1.43 BOB 15.26

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.94 BOB 20.65

63.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.09 BOB 11.56

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.35 BOB 14.39

-3.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$1.30 BOB 13.84

7.69%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$1.76 BOB 18.70

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$4.75 BOB 50.5

-7.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.04 BOB 43.01

45.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$6.29 BOB 67.0

37.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$2.70 BOB 28.79

-15.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$0.97 BOB 10.29

14.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$1.15 BOB 12.21

33.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$1.03 BOB 10.99

31.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$0.91 BOB 9.73

24.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$1.00 BOB 10.63

13.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$0.79 BOB 8.42

7.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$1.11 BOB 11.78

-18.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.24 BOB 23.85

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$7.30 BOB 77.7

69.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.41 BOB 15.03

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$2.03 BOB 21.66

22.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.30 BOB 3.15

180.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$21.01 BOB 224

93.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$2.95 BOB 31.42

-51.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.43 BOB 15.23

34.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$7.42 BOB 79.0

3.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$0.58 BOB 6.20

70.69%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

-38.09%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

-2.79%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$55.4 BOB 590

45.92%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$22.26 BOB 237

-55.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$33.17 BOB 353

-27.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$32.35 BOB 345

-22.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$21.67 BOB 231

-11.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.37 BOB 78.5

-46.00%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$203 BOB 2,161

50.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

42.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$42.54 BOB 453

36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$47.82 BOB 509

-32.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$84.2 BOB 896

19.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$59.8 BOB 637

80.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$415 BOB 4,415

14.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$258 BOB 2,747

45.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$739 BOB 7,867

14.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$643 BOB 6,849

13.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

114.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$988 BOB 10.5K

38.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$475 BOB 5,061

29.80%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $415 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 30% 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 $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $193 vs $166 – 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 29%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,202 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $802 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 $802, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.