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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,319 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $2,032 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,745 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Medellin costs about 24% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Santa Cruz is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$7.51 JMD 1,180

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$62.6 JMD 9,839

-22.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$6.53 JMD 1,025

44.26%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$5.37 JMD 844

-45.25%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.25 JMD 196

48.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$0.68 JMD 107

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$2.26 JMD 355

42.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$3.12 JMD 490

83.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$4.21 JMD 661

-65.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$2.53 JMD 397

-5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.62 JMD 254

4.94%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$3.53 JMD 554

-18.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$11.47 JMD 1,802

-12.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.35 JMD 998

57.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.43 JMD 1,638

36.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$5.98 JMD 939

-33.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$3.93 JMD 618

-59.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$7.46 JMD 1,171

-71.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.98 JMD 469

-22.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$3.22 JMD 506

-37.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$2.61 JMD 411

-42.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$3.15 JMD 495

-61.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.44 JMD 226

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$9.61 JMD 1,510

-60.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$11.48 JMD 1,803

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$2.95 JMD 463

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$3.95 JMD 620

-30.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.19 JMD 187

10.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$3.07 JMD 482

-29.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$6.42 JMD 1,009

29.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.38 JMD 217

-1.45%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

-38.29%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

9.37%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$178 JMD 27.9K

-5.03%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$28.99 JMD 4,554

-53.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$52.1 JMD 8,178

-45.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$37.11 JMD 5,829

23.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$13.09 JMD 2,056

-49.20%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$361 JMD 56.7K

122.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

12.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$24.06 JMD 3,780

263.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$31.68 JMD 4,977

87.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

82.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$105 JMD 16.4K

-2.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$313 JMD 49.2K

108.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$504 JMD 79.2K

107.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$409 JMD 64.3K

60.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

9.45

15.77%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 60% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $63.0 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $374 – 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 24%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,978 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 $48.00 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 25% 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 $1,319, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.