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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Medellin vs $749 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,599 per month in Medellin vs $1,146 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,167 per month in Medellin vs $1,543 in Santa Rosa, rent included.

Medellin costs about 38% more than Santa Rosa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medellin and Santa Rosa are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 23% lower, Santa Rosa 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.16 COP 20.1K

$2.76 ₱170

123.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.60 COP 106.1K

$21.63 ₱1,334

50.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.34 COP 23.9K

$3.03 ₱187

142.24%

Cappuccino

$1.72 COP 5,599

$1.26 ₱78.0

36.51%

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

$1.05 COP 3,420

$0.40 ₱24.94

162.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 COP 2,515

$0.28 ₱17.42

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 COP 5,487

$1.27 ₱78.3

33.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 10.3K

$1.41 ₱86.7

124.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,423

$2.09 ₱129

-49.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 COP 4,236

$1.21 ₱74.6

7.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 COP 4,544

$1.12 ₱69.1

25.00%

Eggs

$2.16 COP 7,046

$1.80 ₱111

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 COP 14.3K

$6.93 ₱427

-36.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 19.1K

$4.20 ₱259

40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.64 COP 28.1K

$7.16 ₱442

20.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 COP 7,425

$4.47 ₱276

-48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,603

$0.92 ₱56.8

20.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,982

$2.92 ₱180

-47.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.35 COP 4,410

$1.64 ₱101

-17.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,674

$2.86 ₱177

-60.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,692

$4.08 ₱252

-72.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.85 COP 2,753

$1.59 ₱98.0

-46.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 COP 2,975

$1.01 ₱62.5

-9.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.34 COP 7,629

$3.20 ₱198

-26.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.37 COP 40.3K

$9.00 ₱555

37.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 3,909

$1.54 ₱95.2

-22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 COP 8,104

$1.99 ₱123

25.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,727

$0.26 ₱16.03

223.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.57 COP 132.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,623

$0.78 ₱48.32

82.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 COP 6,235

$0.24 ₱14.84

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 COP 24.9K

$2.11 ₱130

263.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,223

$1.09 ₱67.2

-9.17%

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

$18.0K COP 58.7M

$25.8K ₱1.6M

-30.21%

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

$26.6K COP 86.7M

$20.6K ₱1.3M

29.36%

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

$80.8 COP 263.1K

$52.5 ₱3,235

54.04%

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

$9.95 COP 32.4K

$33.43 ₱2,062

-70.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.18 COP 78.7K

$28.79 ₱1,776

-16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.08 COP 81.6K

$33.44 ₱2,062

-25.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.15 COP 62.3K

$4.45 ₱275

330.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.98 COP 13.0K

$7.17 ₱442

-44.49%

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

$305 COP 993.4K

$81.2 ₱5,008

275.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,059 COP 19.7M

$2,799 ₱172.6K

116.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 COP 189.2K

$32.18 ₱1,984

80.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.20 COP 104.8K

$29.83 ₱1,839

7.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 COP 327.9K

$98.6 ₱6,078

2.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 350.8K

$93.0 ₱5,738

15.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$477 COP 1.6M

$252 ₱15.5K

89.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 COP 1.2M

$174 ₱10.7K

116.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 COP 2.7M

$397 ₱24.5K

112.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$730 COP 2.4M

$281 ₱17.3K

159.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,215 COP 10.5M

$2,551 ₱157.3K

26.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,372 COP 4.5M

$969 ₱59.7K

41.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$617 COP 2.0M

$148 ₱9,112

317.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

8.13

65.19%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $477 in Medellin versus $252 in Santa Rosa. 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 317% 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 $22.00 in Santa Rosa. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $221 in Santa Rosa – 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 Rosa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,546 per month in Medellin and $1,124 in Santa Rosa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Rosa, 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 $22.00 in Santa Rosa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Santa Rosa, where all-in costs run around $749, than in Medellin at $1,031. In Santa Rosa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Rosa – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Santa Rosa. 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.