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 $1,034 per month in Medellin vs $1,276 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,577 per month in Medellin vs $1,800 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,120 per month in Medellin vs $2,324 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Medellin is about 19% cheaper than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Santa Lucia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Lucia 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.92 COP 21.4K

$9.84 CUP 236

-39.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.75 COP 118.2K

$29.90 CUP 718

9.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.20 COP 26.0K

$7.20 CUP 173

Cappuccino

$1.70 COP 6,140

$3.29 CUP 78.9

-48.33%

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

$1.10 COP 3,966

$1.08 CUP 26.02

1.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.72 COP 2,605

$0.87 CUP 20.97

-17.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 COP 6,022

$1.97 CUP 47.35

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 COP 11.2K

$3.05 CUP 73.2

1.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 COP 3,809

$1.99 CUP 47.83

-46.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 COP 4,497

$1.81 CUP 43.38

-30.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.39 COP 5,022

$1.52 CUP 36.57

-8.55%

Eggs

$2.26 COP 8,168

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-36.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.33 COP 15.6K

$6.21 CUP 149

-30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 COP 21.1K

$5.72 CUP 137

2.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.83 COP 31.9K

$10.80 CUP 259

-18.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 COP 8,099

$2.76 CUP 66.3

-18.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 COP 3,882

$1.52 CUP 36.46

-28.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 5,522

$2.08 CUP 49.88

-26.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,950

$2.31 CUP 55.5

-40.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 4,078

$2.03 CUP 48.79

-44.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 COP 4,036

$1.71 CUP 41.15

-34.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 3,057

$1.01 CUP 24.25

-15.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 3,281

$0.99 CUP 23.69

-8.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.33 COP 8,414

$3.96 CUP 95.0

-41.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.13 COP 40.2K

$11.94 CUP 287

-6.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 4,309

$1.64 CUP 39.35

-27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 COP 8,553

$2.39 CUP 57.4

-0.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,838

$0.22 CUP 5.33

259.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.13 COP 148.5K

$25.27 CUP 606

62.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 COP 5,184

$3.26 CUP 78.3

-55.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,901

$0.38 CUP 9.17

402.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.02 COP 28.9K

$15.20 CUP 365

-47.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 COP 3,385

$1.07 CUP 25.80

-12.15%

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

$17.9K COP 64.7M

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

-74.85%

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

$26.8K COP 96.7M

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

-67.09%

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

$84.0 COP 303.1K

$35.39 CUP 849

137.24%

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

$9.60 COP 34.7K

$14.82 CUP 356

-35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.16 COP 87.2K

$247 CUP 5,930

-90.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.88 COP 93.4K

$39.37 CUP 945

-34.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.04 COP 68.7K

$15.01 CUP 360

26.85%

Cinema Ticket

$3.92 COP 14.1K

$0.98 CUP 23.40

300.00%

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

$306 COP 1.1M

$162 CUP 3,888

89.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,919 COP 21.4M

$3,930 CUP 94.3K

50.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 COP 209.1K

$70.4 CUP 1,690

-17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 114.9K

$55.5 CUP 1,331

-42.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 COP 360.6K

$98.2 CUP 2,358

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 386.8K

$106 CUP 2,554

0.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 COP 1.8M

$554 CUP 13.3K

-12.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 COP 1.3M

$348 CUP 8,341

5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$826 COP 3.0M

$746 CUP 17.9K

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$499 CUP 12.0K

43.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,925 COP 10.6M

$344 CUP 8,264

749.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,407 COP 5.1M

$369 CUP 8,859

281.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$546 COP 2.0M

$56.9 CUP 1,366

858.21%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Medellin versus $554 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 858% 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 $243 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 23%, 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 $1,550 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 $1,034 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 $1,034, 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.