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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,681 per month in Medellin vs $1,372 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,445 per month in Medellin vs $2,038 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,210 per month in Medellin vs $2,704 in Santa Tecla, rent included.

Medellin costs about 23% more than Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Medellin and Santa Tecla sit above the global median – Medellin by 23%, Santa Tecla by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.02 COP 25.0K

$6.87 $6.87

16.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.87 COP 149.4K

$43.37 $43.37

10.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 COP 30.8K

$6.89 $6.89

43.54%

Cappuccino

$3.13 COP 9,767

$3.68 $3.68

-14.95%

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

$1.91 COP 5,954

$1.10 $1.10

73.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,712

$0.85 $0.85

77.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 COP 9,747

$1.99 $1.99

56.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.75 COP 17.9K

$3.57 $3.57

61.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 COP 4,509

$1.68 $1.68

-14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.49 COP 7,759

$2.22 $2.22

12.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 COP 5,535

$1.44 $1.44

22.92%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,235

$2.26 $2.26

30.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.07 COP 31.4K

$7.73 $7.73

30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 COP 31.6K

$5.36 $5.36

88.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 COP 44.6K

$10.29 $10.29

38.97%

Apples (1kg)

$4.14 COP 12.9K

$3.32 $3.32

24.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 COP 5,019

$1.53 $1.53

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,007

$2.96 $2.96

-23.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,028

$3.41 $3.41

-34.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 COP 6,375

$2.91 $2.91

-29.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 COP 4,790

$3.34 $3.34

-53.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 COP 3,651

$1.02 $1.02

14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 COP 4,077

$0.94 $0.94

39.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$4.10 $4.10

-4.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.01 COP 43.7K

$12.20 $12.20

14.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 COP 5,439

$2.17 $2.17

-19.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 COP 8,956

$2.88 $2.88

-0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 COP 3,792

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$80.5 COP 251.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 COP 4,084

$6.02 $6.02

-78.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 COP 6,825

$2.94 $2.94

-25.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.71 COP 27.2K

$20.13 $20.13

-56.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 COP 4,260

$1.21 $1.21

13.22%

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

$27.8K COP 86.9M

$24.8K $24.8K

12.11%

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

$35.8K COP 111.6M

$27.0K $27.0K

32.54%

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

$177 COP 553.2K

$128 $128

38.38%

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

$13.88 COP 43.3K

$21.35 $21.35

-34.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.72 COP 92.8K

$42.97 $42.97

-30.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.88 COP 140.1K

$25.18 $25.18

78.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 COP 53.4K

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 COP 20.7K

$5.08 $5.08

30.91%

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

$813 COP 2.5M

$165 $165

394.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,187 COP 28.7M

$4,694 $4,694

95.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.5 COP 279.3K

$67.2 $67.2

33.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.0 COP 184.0K

$46.26 $46.26

27.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 COP 431.2K

$121 $121

14.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 COP 318.7K

$118 $118

-13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 COP 3.3M

$768 $768

38.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$663 COP 2.1M

$570 $570

16.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,888 COP 5.9M

$1,179 $1,179

60.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,027 COP 3.2M

$918 $918

11.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,183 COP 13.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,675 COP 5.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$678 COP 2.1M

$405 $405

67.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

8.5

28.71%

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

Last update for Medellin: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Medellin versus $768 in Santa Tecla. 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 67% 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 $48.00 in Medellin versus $43.00 in Santa Tecla. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $305 vs $261 – making Santa Tecla 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 Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,521 per month in Medellin and $2,058 in Santa Tecla. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Tecla, 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 $48.00 in Medellin and $43.00 in Santa Tecla. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 Tecla, where all-in costs run around $1,372, than in Medellin at $1,681. In Santa Tecla it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Tecla – 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 Tecla. 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.