Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $969 in Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,475 in Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,980 in Santos, rent included.

Medellin costs about 5% more than Santos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Santos are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Santos 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.39 R$27.26

11.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$27.48 R$139

19.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$5.93 R$29.98

19.56%

Cappuccino

$1.71 COP 6,105

$2.05 R$10.38

-16.59%

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

$1.10 COP 3,918

$1.20 R$6.06

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.89 R$4.49

-12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$2.12 R$10.72

-20.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$2.63 R$13.29

16.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$1.01 R$5.11

7.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.61 R$8.15

-21.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.33 R$6.70

3.76%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$2.82 R$14.28

-22.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$12.84 R$64.9

-65.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$4.26 R$21.56

32.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$8.62 R$43.61

3.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.60 R$8.12

46.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.25 R$6.34

-15.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$2.12 R$10.73

-29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.75 R$8.87

-21.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.30 R$6.60

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.23 R$6.20

-5.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$1.05 R$5.32

-15.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$1.30 R$6.60

-35.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.20 R$11.15

3.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.04 R$40.69

32.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.41 R$7.12

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$2.14 R$10.84

15.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.88 R$4.46

-2.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$44.29 R$224

-6.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$1.29 R$6.55

13.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.83 R$4.22

136.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$14.57 R$73.7

-46.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$1.08 R$5.46

-12.04%

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$20.3K R$102.8K

-10.81%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$28.8K R$145.9K

-8.14%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$85.8 R$434

-4.14%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$11.86 R$60.0

-19.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$21.05 R$106

15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$22.38 R$113

15.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$48.51 R$245

-60.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$7.68 R$38.84

-48.83%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$279 R$1,409

11.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$7,916 R$40.1K

-24.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$45.47 R$230

29.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$39.31 R$199

-17.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$78.3 R$396

30.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$41.51 R$210

161.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$411 R$2,081

15.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$322 R$1,628

17.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$798 R$4,039

5.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$531 R$2,688

36.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$2,499 R$12.6K

11.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$1,764 R$8,926

-31.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$592 R$2,994

-13.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.92%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Santos: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $411 in Santos. 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 Santos, 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 $27.00 in Santos. Groceries tell a different story – $188 in Medellin vs $215 in Santos – 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 Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 5%, 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 $1,519 per month in Medellin and $1,453 in Santos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santos, 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 $27.00 in Santos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,013 in Medellin and $969 in Santos. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santos, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Santos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santos – 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 Santos. 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.