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 $1,641 per month in Medellin vs $1,056 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,447 per month in Medellin vs $1,621 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,253 per month in Medellin vs $2,186 in Santa Fe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 55% more than Santa Fe, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Medellin sits 19% above the global median, while Santa Fe is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.04 COP 24.8K

$10.12 ARS 15.3K

-20.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.29 COP 148.6K

$37.79 ARS 57.0K

27.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 COP 29.0K

$12.60 ARS 19.0K

-25.24%

Cappuccino

$2.94 COP 9,040

$1.78 ARS 2,682

65.17%

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

$1.86 COP 5,735

$1.50 ARS 2,255

24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,479

$1.38 ARS 2,074

5.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 COP 9,882

$3.36 ARS 5,066

-4.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 COP 17.6K

$5.10 ARS 7,699

11.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,428

$1.02 ARS 1,532

41.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 COP 7,389

$1.59 ARS 2,397

50.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,228

$1.02 ARS 1,543

66.67%

Eggs

$2.89 COP 8,896

$1.54 ARS 2,327

87.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 COP 30.9K

$8.29 ARS 12.5K

21.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 COP 30.7K

$6.11 ARS 9,222

63.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.20 COP 43.7K

$10.38 ARS 15.7K

36.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 COP 12.3K

$2.00 ARS 3,011

99.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 COP 4,878

$1.53 ARS 2,313

3.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 COP 6,624

$0.87 ARS 1,310

147.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.30 COP 7,078

$2.42 ARS 3,644

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 COP 6,169

$0.54 ARS 821

270.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,646

$0.69 ARS 1,040

118.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 COP 3,701

$1.02 ARS 1,537

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 COP 3,946

$1.03 ARS 1,550

24.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.84 COP 11.8K

$3.22 ARS 4,857

19.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.1K

$4.82 ARS 7,269

190.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 COP 5,256

$1.26 ARS 1,903

35.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 COP 8,440

$2.04 ARS 3,084

34.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 3,834

$1.02 ARS 1,545

22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.9 COP 239.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,016

$1.01 ARS 1,527

29.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.17 COP 6,680

$0.98 ARS 1,475

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.29 COP 25.5K

$7.30 ARS 11.0K

13.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,172

$1.15 ARS 1,733

18.26%

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

$27.5K COP 84.5M

$20.0K ARS 30.2M

37.23%

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

$36.5K COP 112.4M

$30.1K ARS 45.4M

21.31%

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

$169 COP 519.2K

$60.7 ARS 91.6K

177.91%

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

$13.57 COP 41.8K

$19.75 ARS 29.8K

-31.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.32 COP 87.2K

$20.87 ARS 31.5K

35.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.71 COP 140.7K

$34.07 ARS 51.4K

34.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.22 COP 53.0K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.5K

$4.75 ARS 7,162

40.00%

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

$803 COP 2.5M

$300 ARS 453.3K

167.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,190 COP 28.3M

$4,212 ARS 6.4M

118.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.4 COP 268.8K

$88.4 ARS 133.4K

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.4 COP 182.7K

$61.0 ARS 92.1K

-2.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 427.5K

$118 ARS 178.0K

17.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 314.0K

$139 ARS 209.6K

-26.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,071 COP 3.3M

$512 ARS 772.2K

109.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$653 COP 2.0M

$366 ARS 551.4K

78.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,925 COP 5.9M

$903 ARS 1.4M

113.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 COP 3.2M

$592 ARS 892.4K

77.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,123 COP 12.7M

$2,384 ARS 3.6M

72.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,697 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$655 COP 2.0M

$826 ARS 1.2M

-20.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

56.56

-80.66%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 7, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,071 in Medellin versus $512 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 26% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $38.00 in Santa Fe. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $197 – making Santa Fe 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 Fe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 55%, 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 $2,462 per month in Medellin and $1,585 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $38.00 in Santa Fe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 52% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Fe, where all-in costs run around $1,056, than in Medellin at $1,641. 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.