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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,028 per month in Medellin vs $698 in Santa Rita, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Medellin vs $1,017 in Santa Rita, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,144 per month in Medellin vs $1,336 in Santa Rita, rent included.

Medellin costs about 47% more than Santa Rita, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Santa Rita are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Rita 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.00 COP 20.6K

$2.49 ₲15.1K

140.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.84 COP 112.5K

$25.23 ₲153.1K

30.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 COP 25.4K

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,659

$2.58 ₲15.7K

-36.05%

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

$1.07 COP 3,663

$0.60 ₲3,671

78.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 COP 2,607

$0.37 ₲2,216

105.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,908

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 COP 11.0K

$0.99 ₲6,004

223.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,597

$0.78 ₲4,733

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,479

$1.36 ₲8,275

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 COP 4,591

$0.87 ₲5,274

54.02%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,521

$2.01 ₲12.2K

8.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.41 COP 15.1K

$5.56 ₲33.8K

-20.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 COP 19.5K

$3.15 ₲19.1K

80.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 COP 29.2K

$8.29 ₲50.3K

2.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,023

$3.82 ₲23.2K

-38.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,804

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,210

$1.00 ₲6,082

52.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,680

$2.29 ₲13.9K

-40.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 3,950

$2.49 ₲15.1K

-53.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 COP 4,043

$1.90 ₲11.5K

-37.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.84 COP 2,885

$0.60 ₲3,636

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 COP 2,931

$0.98 ₲5,960

-12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 COP 7,753

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 COP 39.8K

$4.80 ₲29.1K

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,109

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,484

$1.95 ₲11.8K

27.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,721

$1.02 ₲6,213

-22.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.83 COP 139.9K

$30.26 ₲183.7K

34.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,023

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,568

$0.97 ₲5,896

97.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 COP 26.6K

$2.79 ₲16.9K

178.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,464

$1.06 ₲6,455

-4.72%

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

$17.7K COP 60.5M

$7,096 ₲43.1M

148.83%

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

$26.5K COP 90.7M

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

$81.1 COP 277.9K

$77.5 ₲470.0K

4.71%

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

$9.43 COP 32.3K

$17.85 ₲108.3K

-47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.86 COP 81.8K

$28.65 ₲173.9K

-16.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.99 COP 89.1K

$31.87 ₲193.4K

-18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.71 COP 64.1K

$19.04 ₲115.5K

-1.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.09 COP 14.0K

$6.35 ₲38.5K

-35.59%

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

$315 COP 1.1M

$56.8 ₲344.6K

453.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,022 COP 20.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 COP 204.6K

$38.13 ₲231.4K

56.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.97 COP 109.6K

$64.0 ₲388.3K

-50.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 346.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 COP 360.3K

$50.4 ₲305.6K

108.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$485 COP 1.7M

$249 ₲1.5M

95.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 COP 1.3M

$188 ₲1.1M

93.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 COP 2.8M

$316 ₲1.9M

161.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.5M

$249 ₲1.5M

193.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,992 COP 10.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,314 COP 4.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 COP 1.9M

$486 ₲3.0M

13.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

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

Last update for Medellin: June 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Rita: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $485 in Medellin versus $249 in Santa Rita. 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 13% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Medellin versus $25.00 in Santa Rita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $164 – making Santa Rita 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 Rita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 47%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,542 per month in Medellin and $1,047 in Santa Rita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rita, 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 $25.00 in Santa Rita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,028 in Medellin and $698 in Santa Rita. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rita, where all-in costs run around $698, than in Medellin at $1,028. In Santa Rita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Rita – 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 Rita. 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.