Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $648 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,099 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $1,551 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, rent included.

Medellin costs about 57% more than Santa Lucía Milpas Altas, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Santa Lucía Milpas Altas are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Lucía Milpas Altas 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$2.54 Q 19.33

134.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$15.68 Q 119

112.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.26 Q 47.69

15.50%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.35 Q 25.52

-51.34%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.17 Q 8.89

-6.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.99 Q 7.54

-26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$3.27 Q 24.92

-46.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$4.62 Q 35.16

-30.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.05 Q 8.01

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.61 Q 12.24

-19.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$0.54 Q 4.10

144.44%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$1.54 Q 11.75

47.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$7.76 Q 59.1

-43.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.18 Q 62.3

-28.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$8.87 Q 67.5

-2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$3.43 Q 26.10

-34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.54 Q 11.72

-30.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$3.16 Q 24.03

-51.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$1.18 Q 9.00

20.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.47 Q 11.18

-20.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.16 Q 8.85

0.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.54 Q 4.08

64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$0.80 Q 6.09

12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$3.71 Q 28.25

-39.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$8.30 Q 63.2

33.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.61 Q 12.27

-29.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.47 Q 18.81

-3.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.12 Q 39.00

-72.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.64 Q 4.85

196.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$15.90 Q 121

-51.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.11 Q 8.43

-9.01%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$19.7K Q 149.7K

-10.60%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$24.3K Q 185.2K

8.95%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$79.7 Q 607

5.03%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$26.00 Q 198

-63.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$26.11 Q 199

-7.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$7.22 Q 55.0

-43.21%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$103 Q 782

203.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$5,894 Q 44.9K

1.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$50.9 Q 388

13.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$53.7 Q 409

-39.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$115 Q 873

-13.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$124 Q 943

-12.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$180 Q 1,367

302.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.9

50.90%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucía Milpas Altas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $219 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas – 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 Lucía Milpas Altas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 57%, 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 $1,525 per month in Medellin and $972 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. 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 $16.00 in Santa Lucía Milpas Altas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 15% 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 Lucía Milpas Altas, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Medellin at $1,017. In Santa Lucía Milpas Altas it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Lucía Milpas Altas – 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 Lucía Milpas Altas. 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.