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 $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $1,078 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,454 in Santa Marta, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,830 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 23% lower, Santa Marta 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.0K

$3.66 COP 11.9K

68.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.0K

$28.29 COP 92.0K

15.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$6.22 COP 20.2K

18.01%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,592

$1.55 COP 5,030

10.97%

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

$1.05 COP 3,416

$0.73 COP 2,369

43.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,511

$0.46 COP 1,500

67.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,480

$0.82 COP 2,673

106.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.68 COP 5,476

88.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,418

$1.11 COP 3,624

-5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,230

$1.19 COP 3,864

9.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,538

$0.90 COP 2,915

55.56%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,037

$2.45 COP 7,949

-11.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$3.69 COP 12.0K

18.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.07 COP 13.2K

44.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.85 COP 25.5K

10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,415

$1.74 COP 5,673

31.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,599

$0.76 COP 2,467

46.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,976

$0.98 COP 3,193

56.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,405

$0.71 COP 2,317

90.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,669

$0.51 COP 1,668

121.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,687

$0.99 COP 3,227

14.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,749

$1.04 COP 3,383

-18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,971

$0.55 COP 1,788

65.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,619

$2.41 COP 7,824

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.2K

$15.04 COP 48.9K

-17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,904

$1.46 COP 4,752

-17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,094

$1.41 COP 4,582

76.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,724

$0.68 COP 2,205

23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 131.9K

$14.46 COP 47.0K

180.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,617

$1.68 COP 5,474

-15.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,227

$1.79 COP 5,813

7.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$8.42 COP 27.4K

-9.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,219

$0.98 COP 3,190

1.02%

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

$18.0K COP 58.6M

$21.2K COP 68.9M

-14.90%

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

$26.6K COP 86.6M

$26.2K COP 85.2M

1.65%

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

$80.8 COP 262.7K

$192 COP 624.2K

-57.91%

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

$9.95 COP 32.3K

$8.78 COP 28.6K

13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.6K

$24.15 COP 78.5K

0.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.5K

$19.49 COP 63.4K

28.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$7.94 COP 25.8K

141.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$4.87 COP 15.8K

-18.28%

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

$305 COP 992.2K

$167 COP 542.4K

82.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$4,906 COP 16.0M

23.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.0K

$39.94 COP 129.8K

45.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.7K

$35.37 COP 115.0K

-8.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.5K

$79.9 COP 259.6K

26.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.3K

$59.9 COP 194.6K

79.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.5M

$281 COP 912.6K

69.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$450 COP 1.5M

-16.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$685 COP 2.2M

23.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$564 COP 1.8M

29.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,078 COP 6.8M

54.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$996 COP 3.2M

37.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$530 COP 1.7M

16.35%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Marta: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 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 16% 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: $193 vs $167 – 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 5% 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,617 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 $1,031 in Medellin and $1,078 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 $1,031, than in Santa Marta at $1,078. 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.