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 $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $879 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,438 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,998 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 24% lower, Santa Cruz 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 21.2K

$7.37 JMD 1,159

-19.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 118.9K

$63.3 JMD 9,958

-47.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.8K

$8.95 JMD 1,407

-19.22%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,811

$4.40 JMD 693

-62.95%

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

$1.09 COP 3,904

$1.31 JMD 205

-16.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,604

$0.74 JMD 117

-1.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,197

$2.52 JMD 397

-30.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.5K

$3.17 JMD 498

1.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,742

$4.23 JMD 665

-75.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,614

$3.49 JMD 549

-63.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,718

$1.58 JMD 248

-16.46%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 8,101

$3.42 JMD 538

-33.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.5K

$11.24 JMD 1,768

-61.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 21.0K

$6.55 JMD 1,030

-10.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.7K

$7.54 JMD 1,187

14.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 8,015

$5.96 JMD 938

-62.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,814

$3.16 JMD 497

-66.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,438

$4.13 JMD 650

-63.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 5,073

$3.00 JMD 472

-52.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,173

$2.07 JMD 326

-43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,166

$1.94 JMD 305

-39.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,163

$2.99 JMD 470

-70.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,215

$1.46 JMD 229

-38.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 8,008

$9.01 JMD 1,417

-75.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 39.4K

$11.47 JMD 1,804

-3.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 4,063

$2.85 JMD 449

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,483

$3.21 JMD 506

-25.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,979

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 149.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 5,019

$1.09 JMD 171

29.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,779

$3.16 JMD 497

-39.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.6K

$6.15 JMD 967

26.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,586

$1.23 JMD 193

-17.89%

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

$17.6K COP 62.7M

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

-59.70%

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

$26.5K COP 94.5M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-21.97%

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

$83.7 COP 298.4K

$162 JMD 25.4K

-48.20%

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

$9.45 COP 33.7K

$22.34 JMD 3,514

-57.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 86.0K

$50.2 JMD 7,897

-51.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 90.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 68.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.6K

$12.93 JMD 2,034

-68.29%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$226 JMD 35.6K

37.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 21.4M

$2,445 JMD 384.5K

145.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 207.0K

$26.26 JMD 4,130

121.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 116.1K

$26.02 JMD 4,092

25.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 355.3K

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

38.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 387.1K

$74.7 JMD 11.7K

45.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 3.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.6M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 10.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$405 JMD 63.7K

33.61%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 34% 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 $63.0 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $350 – 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $1,318 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 $63.0 in Santa Cruz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 84% 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 $879, than in Medellin at $1,017. 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.