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 $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,477 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,711 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $1,946 in Santa Marta, rent included.

Medellin costs about 16% more than Santa Marta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Santa Marta sit above the global median – Medellin by 25%, Santa Marta by 8%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.3K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 152.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.8K

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,167

$3.83 COP 12.1K

-24.02%

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

$1.94 COP 6,122

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,792

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,740

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 18.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,296

$1.61 COP 5,076

-15.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,519

$2.28 COP 7,184

4.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,356

$1.18 COP 3,705

44.07%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 9,038

$2.48 COP 7,795

15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.3K

$8.40 COP 26.4K

18.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 34.0K

$10.00 COP 31.5K

7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.4K

$11.34 COP 35.7K

29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.9K

$4.15 COP 13.1K

-1.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,950

$1.02 COP 3,216

53.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,695

$1.08 COP 3,412

97.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,972

$2.08 COP 6,556

6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,447

$0.92 COP 2,906

122.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,737

$1.54 COP 4,849

-2.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,747

$0.97 COP 3,069

22.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,647

$0.66 COP 2,066

75.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.3K

$4.13 COP 13.0K

-5.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.5K

$17.09 COP 53.8K

-15.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,987

$1.42 COP 4,459

11.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,905

$1.40 COP 4,417

102.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,679

$0.90 COP 2,850

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 244.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,045

$3.26 COP 10.3K

-60.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,589

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 27.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,088

$1.30 COP 4,095

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

$27.7K COP 87.1M

$23.8K COP 75.1M

15.97%

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

$35.5K COP 111.8M

$34.5K COP 108.7M

2.84%

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

$176 COP 554.5K

$159 COP 499.5K

11.02%

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

$13.37 COP 42.1K

$9.41 COP 29.6K

42.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 94.1K

$22.28 COP 70.2K

34.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 141.0K

$31.72 COP 99.9K

41.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.5K

$5.36 COP 16.9K

15.67%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.4M

$11.0K COP 34.8M

-18.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 269.6K

$87.7 COP 276.2K

-2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 184.1K

$62.3 COP 196.3K

-6.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 429.3K

$94.8 COP 298.5K

43.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 324.7K

$89.2 COP 280.9K

15.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$1,094 COP 3.4M

-3.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$755 COP 2.4M

-9.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$1,096 COP 3.5M

83.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$645 COP 2.0M

81.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.9M

$1,101 COP 3.5M

273.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.4M

$1,194 COP 3.8M

42.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$544 COP 1.7M

22.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

19.54

-44.01%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $1,094 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 22% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

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

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,574 per month in Medellin and $2,216 in Santa Marta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Marta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,716 in Medellin and $1,477 in Santa Marta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Medellin, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Marta, where all-in costs run around $1,477, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Santa Marta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Marta – 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 Santa Marta. 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.