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 $1,018 per month in Medellin vs $868 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,609 per month in Medellin vs $1,448 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,200 per month in Medellin vs $2,027 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 17% 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

$5.93 COP 19.1K

$7.44 JMD 1,172

-20.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.12 COP 106.5K

$63.3 JMD 9,961

-47.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 COP 22.9K

$8.76 JMD 1,379

-18.72%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 5,484

$4.35 JMD 685

-60.69%

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

$1.05 COP 3,373

$1.35 JMD 213

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,323

$0.71 JMD 112

1.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,529

$2.44 JMD 384

-29.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.2K

$3.16 JMD 498

0.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,425

$4.44 JMD 699

-76.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,213

$3.61 JMD 569

-63.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 COP 4,277

$1.58 JMD 248

-15.82%

Eggs

$2.28 COP 7,334

$3.58 JMD 564

-36.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 COP 14.2K

$10.92 JMD 1,719

-59.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.92 COP 19.0K

$6.53 JMD 1,029

-9.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 27.8K

$7.57 JMD 1,192

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 7,541

$5.93 JMD 934

-60.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,544

$3.01 JMD 474

-63.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,721

$4.14 JMD 653

-64.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,437

$3.01 JMD 475

-54.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,772

$2.09 JMD 330

-44.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,763

$1.99 JMD 314

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,904

$2.97 JMD 468

-69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,707

$1.48 JMD 233

-43.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 7,486

$8.88 JMD 1,398

-73.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.92 COP 38.3K

$11.15 JMD 1,756

6.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 COP 3,692

$2.87 JMD 452

-59.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 COP 7,787

$3.10 JMD 488

-21.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,700

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 131.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,539

$1.11 JMD 175

27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,157

$3.09 JMD 487

-38.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 COP 25.2K

$6.36 JMD 1,001

23.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,035

$1.23 JMD 194

-23.58%

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

$17.8K COP 57.3M

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-58.39%

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

$27.1K COP 87.1M

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

-18.94%

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

$83.3 COP 267.8K

$161 JMD 25.4K

-48.38%

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

$9.66 COP 31.1K

$21.95 JMD 3,457

-55.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.22 COP 77.9K

$51.8 JMD 8,162

-53.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.22 COP 81.1K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.33 COP 62.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.07 COP 13.1K

$13.26 JMD 2,087

-69.31%

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

$307 COP 986.0K

$227 JMD 35.7K

35.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,981 COP 19.2M

$2,505 JMD 394.4K

138.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 192.8K

$25.76 JMD 4,057

132.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.65 COP 105.0K

$25.96 JMD 4,087

25.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 325.1K

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

43.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 347.5K

$76.2 JMD 12.0K

41.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$816 COP 2.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$707 COP 2.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,190 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,446 COP 4.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$622 COP 2.0M

$401 JMD 63.1K

55.22%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 55% 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: $192 vs $351 – 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 17%, 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 $1,527 per month in Medellin and $1,303 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 83% 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 $868, than in Medellin at $1,018. 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.