Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Fe Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Fe

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $801 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,216 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,632 in Santa Fe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 26% more than Santa Fe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Santa Fe are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Fe 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$7.08 ARS 10.1K

-15.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$16.21 ARS 23.1K

102.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.53 ARS 10.7K

-5.84%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.68 ARS 2,402

1.79%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$1.33 ARS 1,893

-17.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$1.16 ARS 1,656

-32.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$1.19 ARS 1,694

41.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$2.56 ARS 3,647

19.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.01 ARS 1,443

7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$0.99 ARS 1,412

27.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$1.79 ARS 2,557

-22.91%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$1.46 ARS 2,089

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$8.97 ARS 12.8K

-50.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$6.06 ARS 8,643

-7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.09 ARS 11.5K

9.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.89 ARS 2,696

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$2.08 ARS 2,973

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.92 ARS 1,309

63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$2.72 ARS 3,886

-49.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.51 ARS 734

125.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$1.37 ARS 1,960

-15.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$0.92 ARS 1,319

-3.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$1.86 ARS 2,659

-54.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$3.33 ARS 4,751

-31.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$4.86 ARS 6,937

118.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.25 ARS 1,778

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$3.18 ARS 4,535

-22.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$1.03 ARS 1,462

-16.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$0.99 ARS 1,412

48.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$0.87 ARS 1,240

125.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$5.90 ARS 8,410

31.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$1.07 ARS 1,524

-11.21%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$29.8K ARS 42.6M

-39.24%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$29.5K ARS 42.1M

-10.23%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$55.0 ARS 78.5K

49.55%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$7.76 ARS 11.1K

22.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$14.82 ARS 21.1K

63.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$39.67 ARS 56.6K

-34.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$13.54 ARS 19.3K

40.32%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.02 ARS 7,168

-21.71%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$221 ARS 315.2K

40.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$1,061 ARS 1.5M

462.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$62.1 ARS 88.6K

-5.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$58.9 ARS 84.0K

-45.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$108 ARS 154.5K

-5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$95.4 ARS 136.0K

13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$319 ARS 454.5K

49.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$200 ARS 285.1K

89.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$585 ARS 834.3K

43.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$327 ARS 467.1K

121.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,268 ARS 1.8M

120.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,037 ARS 1.5M

16.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$824 ARS 1.2M

-37.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

100

-86.57%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $319 in Santa Fe. 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 61% higher in Santa Fe, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $206 in Santa Fe – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,201 in Santa Fe. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Fe, 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 $16.00 in Santa Fe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Fe, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santa Fe it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Fe – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Fe. 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.