Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanya Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sanya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,014 per month in Medellin vs $741 in Sanya, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,596 per month in Medellin vs $1,168 in Sanya, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,178 per month in Medellin vs $1,594 in Sanya, rent included.

Medellin costs about 37% more than Sanya, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sanya are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sanya 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 COP 22.2K

$2.41 ¥16.46

154.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.05 COP 119.3K

$21.22 ¥145

55.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 COP 26.4K

$5.51 ¥37.66

32.85%

Cappuccino

$1.66 COP 5,987

$2.52 ¥17.24

-34.13%

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

$1.10 COP 3,987

$0.41 ¥2.79

168.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,822

$0.27 ¥1.82

188.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 COP 6,188

$1.95 ¥13.34

-12.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 COP 11.5K

$1.97 ¥13.46

60.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 COP 4,012

$1.83 ¥12.47

-39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 COP 4,719

$1.38 ¥9.42

-5.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,980

$1.50 ¥10.21

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.22 COP 8,009

$1.66 ¥11.34

33.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 COP 15.7K

$16.94 ¥116

-74.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.80 COP 20.9K

$3.80 ¥25.98

52.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.98 COP 32.4K

$10.37 ¥70.8

-13.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 COP 8,164

$2.10 ¥14.35

7.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,023

$1.51 ¥10.29

-26.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 COP 5,284

$1.96 ¥13.39

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 COP 4,929

$1.59 ¥10.87

-13.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 COP 4,009

$0.73 ¥4.97

52.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,199

$0.74 ¥5.08

56.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,211

$0.48 ¥3.27

85.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 3,124

$0.58 ¥3.94

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 COP 8,495

$3.14 ¥21.48

-25.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.86 COP 39.2K

$7.13 ¥48.67

52.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,330

$1.06 ¥7.25

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 8,946

$0.94 ¥6.39

163.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 COP 2,842

$0.29 ¥1.99

172.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.77 COP 147.2K

$16.04 ¥110

154.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 5,137

$1.55 ¥10.60

-8.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 COP 6,900

$0.54 ¥3.66

253.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.65 COP 27.6K

$6.57 ¥44.86

16.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 COP 3,490

$1.23 ¥8.38

-21.14%

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

$18.1K COP 65.3M

$19.7K ¥134.5K

-8.12%

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

$26.3K COP 95.0M

$16.4K ¥112.2K

60.17%

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

$81.3 COP 293.5K

$83.8 ¥572

-2.95%

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

$9.63 COP 34.8K

$9.94 ¥67.9

-3.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.36 COP 88.0K

$11.54 ¥78.9

111.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.02 COP 93.9K

$41.29 ¥282

-36.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.92 COP 68.3K

$13.73 ¥93.8

37.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.89 COP 14.0K

$6.14 ¥41.92

-36.64%

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

$304 COP 1.1M

$337 ¥2,300

-9.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,902 COP 21.3M

$16.7K ¥113.7K

-64.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 211.8K

$42.74 ¥292

37.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 COP 117.2K

$30.18 ¥206

7.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 367.3K

$47.93 ¥327

112.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 390.4K

$73.9 ¥505

46.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 COP 1.7M

$274 ¥1,868

73.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$371 COP 1.3M

$189 ¥1,290

96.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 COP 3.1M

$599 ¥4,088

41.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 COP 2.6M

$364 ¥2,485

96.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,871 COP 10.4M

$3,232 ¥22.1K

-11.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,375 COP 5.0M

$2,004 ¥13.7K

-31.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 2.0M

$697 ¥4,758

-22.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

5.05

165.94%

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

Last update for Medellin: April 13, 2026

Last update for Sanya: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in Medellin versus $274 in Sanya. 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 29% higher in Sanya, 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 in Medellin versus $21 in Sanya. Groceries tell a different story – $190 in Medellin vs $215 in Sanya – 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 Sanya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 37%, 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 $1,522 per month in Medellin and $1,112 in Sanya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sanya, 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 $21.00 in Sanya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,014 in Medellin and $741 in Sanya. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sanya, where all-in costs run around $741, than in Medellin at $1,014. In Sanya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sanya – 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 Sanya. 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.