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 $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $1,291 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,809 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $2,326 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Medellin is about 22% cheaper than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medellin and Santa Lucia are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Santa Lucia 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.6K

$9.81 CUP 236

-39.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 103.8K

$30.14 CUP 723

9.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.4K

$7.21 CUP 173

3.05%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,207

$3.35 CUP 80.5

-50.75%

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

$1.10 COP 3,468

$1.07 CUP 25.66

2.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,458

$0.87 CUP 20.88

-10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

$1.98 CUP 47.55

-13.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

$2.93 CUP 70.3

8.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,474

$2.00 CUP 47.96

-45.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 3,962

$1.81 CUP 43.39

-30.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,349

$1.54 CUP 36.84

-10.39%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,858

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-41.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.1K

$6.38 CUP 153

-29.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.2K

$5.72 CUP 137

1.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.2K

$11.04 CUP 265

-18.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,308

$2.77 CUP 66.4

-16.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,352

$1.51 CUP 36.24

-29.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,774

$2.03 CUP 48.67

-25.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,270

$2.27 CUP 54.6

-40.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,552

$2.02 CUP 48.55

-44.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,689

$1.72 CUP 41.30

-31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,838

$1.02 CUP 24.49

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,823

$0.98 CUP 23.57

-8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,034

$3.91 CUP 93.9

-42.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

$12.20 CUP 293

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

$1.67 CUP 40.04

-28.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

$2.40 CUP 57.6

3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,687

$0.21 CUP 4.97

304.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 131.0K

$25.16 CUP 604

65.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,459

$3.19 CUP 76.6

-55.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,141

$0.38 CUP 9.16

413.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 24.8K

$14.78 CUP 355

-46.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,118

$1.03 CUP 24.68

-3.88%

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

$17.6K COP 55.4M

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

-74.98%

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

$26.8K COP 84.4M

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

-66.59%

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

$83.0 COP 261.4K

$35.02 CUP 840

137.04%

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

$9.70 COP 30.5K

$14.95 CUP 359

-35.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 74.1K

$252 CUP 6,042

-90.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 79.5K

$40.32 CUP 968

-37.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.1K

$15.30 CUP 367

24.84%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.4K

$1.03 CUP 24.71

283.50%

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

$316 COP 994.2K

$163 CUP 3,909

93.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 18.8M

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

46.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 188.9K

$70.9 CUP 1,703

-15.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 100.2K

$54.4 CUP 1,305

-41.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 320.1K

$102 CUP 2,447

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 338.3K

$106 CUP 2,554

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$546 CUP 13.1K

-12.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$357 CUP 8,556

4.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$757 CUP 18.2K

12.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$494 CUP 11.9K

45.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.3M

$335 CUP 8,031

875.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.5M

$368 CUP 8,821

291.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$56.1 CUP 1,347

1012.70%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $546 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 1013% 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 – $193 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 29%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,937 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 $1,003 in Medellin and $1,291 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 $1,003, than in Santa Lucia at $1,291. 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.