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 $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $878 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,429 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,981 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Medellin and Santa Cruz are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Santa Cruz 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.1K

$7.66 JMD 1,213

-19.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.0K

$62.0 JMD 9,819

-46.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$8.89 JMD 1,407

-17.66%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,973

$4.39 JMD 695

-62.19%

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

$1.10 COP 3,978

$1.31 JMD 207

-16.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,816

$0.76 JMD 120

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,174

$2.56 JMD 405

-33.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.4K

$3.15 JMD 498

0.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,003

$4.44 JMD 703

-75.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,709

$3.62 JMD 573

-63.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,969

$1.55 JMD 246

-10.97%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 7,992

$3.48 JMD 550

-36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.6K

$10.91 JMD 1,727

-60.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$6.50 JMD 1,029

-10.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.3K

$7.69 JMD 1,216

16.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,146

$5.99 JMD 948

-62.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,014

$3.15 JMD 499

-64.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,273

$4.31 JMD 682

-66.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,918

$2.96 JMD 468

-53.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,000

$2.10 JMD 332

-47.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,190

$2.02 JMD 320

-42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,204

$3.09 JMD 490

-71.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,117

$1.50 JMD 237

-42.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,476

$8.68 JMD 1,374

-72.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.1K

$11.38 JMD 1,801

-4.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,321

$2.88 JMD 455

-58.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,927

$3.22 JMD 510

-22.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,836

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,125

$1.12 JMD 177

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,885

$3.27 JMD 517

-41.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.12 JMD 968

25.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,482

$1.23 JMD 194

-21.14%

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

$18.1K COP 65.2M

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

-58.35%

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

$26.3K COP 94.8M

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

-20.97%

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

$81.3 COP 292.9K

$161 JMD 25.5K

-49.55%

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

$9.63 COP 34.7K

$21.96 JMD 3,476

-56.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 87.8K

$51.8 JMD 8,200

-52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.7K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.1K

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$12.91 JMD 2,043

-69.87%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$225 JMD 35.6K

35.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$2,521 JMD 398.9K

134.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.4K

$26.24 JMD 4,153

123.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.0K

$25.28 JMD 4,001

28.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 366.5K

$70.6 JMD 11.2K

44.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 389.6K

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

40.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$401 JMD 63.4K

35.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

9.15

46.78%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $0 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 35% 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 in Medellin versus $62 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $354 – 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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,317 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin and $62.0 in Santa Cruz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 86% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Medellin at $1,014. 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.