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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $1,052 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,421 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,789 in Santa Marta, rent included.

Medellin is about 4% cheaper than Santa Marta, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Santa Marta are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santa Marta 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$3.56 COP 12.7K

68.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.4K

$28.12 COP 100.4K

16.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$6.21 COP 22.2K

14.17%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,115

$1.57 COP 5,615

8.92%

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

$1.10 COP 3,924

$0.68 COP 2,426

61.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,781

$0.47 COP 1,663

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,997

$0.88 COP 3,146

90.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 11.0K

$1.64 COP 5,865

87.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,906

$1.12 COP 4,006

-2.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,508

$1.20 COP 4,294

5.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,922

$0.91 COP 3,244

51.65%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,827

$2.46 COP 8,782

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$3.56 COP 12.7K

23.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.86 COP 13.8K

45.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.8K

$8.02 COP 28.6K

10.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,349

$1.81 COP 6,446

29.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,777

$0.77 COP 2,736

37.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,374

$0.99 COP 3,533

51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,924

$0.74 COP 2,647

86.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,111

$0.55 COP 1,955

109.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,155

$0.98 COP 3,515

18.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,182

$1.04 COP 3,718

-14.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,997

$0.51 COP 1,827

64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,145

$2.49 COP 8,896

-8.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 38.0K

$13.57 COP 48.5K

-21.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,284

$1.48 COP 5,281

-18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,824

$1.49 COP 5,325

65.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,056

$0.72 COP 2,573

19.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.9K

$14.44 COP 51.6K

186.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,264

$1.66 COP 5,944

-11.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 7,009

$1.79 COP 6,381

9.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$8.51 COP 30.4K

-9.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,409

$0.92 COP 3,271

3.26%

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

$18.1K COP 64.7M

$21.7K COP 77.3M

-16.29%

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

$26.5K COP 94.6M

$26.3K COP 93.8M

0.84%

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

$82.3 COP 293.7K

$196 COP 699.7K

-58.02%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$8.85 COP 31.6K

7.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.5K

$24.02 COP 85.8K

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.4K

$19.61 COP 70.0K

32.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.9K

$7.63 COP 27.3K

149.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$4.78 COP 17.1K

-17.78%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$161 COP 576.7K

91.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,882 COP 17.4M

22.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.5K

$40.46 COP 144.5K

44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.5K

$35.11 COP 125.4K

-7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 366.4K

$80.2 COP 286.3K

27.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 387.2K

$58.3 COP 208.2K

85.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$281 COP 1.0M

69.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$437 COP 1.6M

-13.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$697 COP 2.5M

20.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$563 COP 2.0M

28.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 10.0M

$1,900 COP 6.8M

46.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$952 COP 3.4M

27.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$468 COP 1.7M

9.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.62

55.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $281 in Santa Marta. 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 9% 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 $28.00 in Santa Marta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $163 – making Santa Marta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Marta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Marta costs about 4% more than Medellin, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,579 in Santa Marta. 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 $28.00 in Santa Marta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $1,052 in Santa Marta. 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 $1,013, than in Santa Marta at $1,052. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Marta 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 Marta makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.