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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $814 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,245 in Santa Fe, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,677 in Santa Fe, rent included.

Medellin costs about 27% more than Santa Fe, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Santa Fe are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Fe 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$6.84 ARS 10.1K

-9.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$16.80 ARS 24.9K

94.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$7.58 ARS 11.2K

-3.17%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.63 ARS 2,419

5.52%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$1.33 ARS 1,965

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$1.17 ARS 1,735

-34.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.25 ARS 1,849

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$2.47 ARS 3,665

28.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$0.99 ARS 1,466

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$0.97 ARS 1,438

34.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.81 ARS 2,674

-22.65%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.53 ARS 2,265

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$8.83 ARS 13.1K

-50.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$5.84 ARS 8,646

0.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$8.18 ARS 12.1K

5.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$1.89 ARS 2,801

20.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$2.17 ARS 3,219

-48.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$0.98 ARS 1,452

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$2.64 ARS 3,908

-48.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$0.52 ARS 766

117.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$1.42 ARS 2,105

-20.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$0.91 ARS 1,354

-6.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.87 ARS 2,771

-51.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.34 ARS 4,940

-29.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$4.89 ARS 7,240

152.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.26 ARS 1,865

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$3.16 ARS 4,678

-21.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$1.02 ARS 1,515

-17.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.99 ARS 1,462

43.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.92 ARS 1,368

108.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$6.16 ARS 9,128

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.06 ARS 1,573

-6.60%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$30.2K ARS 44.8M

-40.36%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$29.3K ARS 43.4M

-9.13%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$54.7 ARS 81.0K

47.73%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$8.07 ARS 12.0K

23.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$14.71 ARS 21.8K

64.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$40.01 ARS 59.3K

-37.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$13.55 ARS 20.1K

41.33%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.86 ARS 7,201

-18.11%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$216 ARS 319.4K

41.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$1,092 ARS 1.6M

455.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$62.0 ARS 91.8K

-6.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$60.2 ARS 89.2K

-46.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$109 ARS 161.1K

-7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$96.1 ARS 142.4K

12.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$313 ARS 463.8K

52.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$201 ARS 297.6K

87.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$581 ARS 859.9K

45.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$322 ARS 477.3K

126.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$1,247 ARS 1.8M

157.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$1,035 ARS 1.5M

32.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$831 ARS 1.2M

-25.79%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Fe: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $313 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 35% 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 $17.00 in Santa Fe. Groceries tell a different story – $193 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 27%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,220 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 $17.00 in Santa Fe. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% 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 $814, than in Medellin at $1,031. 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.