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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Medellin vs $1,276 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,795 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,188 per month in Medellin vs $2,315 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Medellin is about 20% cheaper than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Santa Lucia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Lucia 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$9.82 CUP 236

-39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$30.44 CUP 730

9.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$6.79 CUP 163

6.48%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$3.33 CUP 79.9

-51.05%

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

$1.09 COP 3,821

$1.12 CUP 26.83

-2.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$0.87 CUP 20.99

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$1.94 CUP 46.65

-10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$3.02 CUP 72.6

6.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.91 CUP 45.95

-45.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$1.87 CUP 44.99

-31.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.51 CUP 36.34

-12.58%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$3.77 CUP 90.4

-39.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.26 CUP 150

-30.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$5.73 CUP 137

2.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.09 CUP 266

-22.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.75 CUP 66.1

-18.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.59 CUP 38.11

-32.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.07 CUP 49.60

-26.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.27 CUP 54.5

-37.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$1.99 CUP 47.64

-41.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$1.76 CUP 42.25

-33.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$0.98 CUP 23.48

-9.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$1.01 CUP 24.26

-10.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$4.06 CUP 97.4

-44.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.98 CUP 288

-7.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$1.69 CUP 40.57

-32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$2.37 CUP 56.9

0.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$0.21 CUP 5.15

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$24.97 CUP 599

68.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$3.29 CUP 79.0

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$0.42 CUP 10.06

352.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$15.28 CUP 367

-49.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$1.08 CUP 25.91

-6.48%

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

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$69.6K CUP 1.7M

-74.72%

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

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

-67.43%

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

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$34.90 CUP 838

139.77%

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

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$14.90 CUP 358

-36.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$250 CUP 6,009

-90.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$39.68 CUP 952

-36.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$14.83 CUP 356

29.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$1.03 CUP 24.67

298.06%

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

$312 COP 1.1M

$163 CUP 3,909

91.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$3,920 CUP 94.1K

52.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$69.9 CUP 1,677

-16.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$54.0 CUP 1,296

-39.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$99.1 CUP 2,378

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$103 CUP 2,470

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$552 CUP 13.2K

-12.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$349 CUP 8,370

8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$760 CUP 18.2K

10.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$499 CUP 12.0K

44.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$339 CUP 8,139

737.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$381 CUP 9,132

221.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$56.0 CUP 1,345

865.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

4.94

171.86%

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

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $482 in Medellin versus $552 in Santa Lucia. 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 865% higher in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $245 in Santa Lucia – 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 Lucia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Santa Lucia is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,913 in Santa Lucia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,017 in Medellin and $1,276 in Santa Lucia. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Santa Lucia at $1,276. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Lucia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – 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 Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Lucia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.