Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Luis Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Luis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,013 per month in Medellin vs $774 in Sao Luis, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,602 per month in Medellin vs $1,169 in Sao Luis, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,192 per month in Medellin vs $1,564 in Sao Luis, rent included.

Medellin costs about 31% more than Sao Luis, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sao Luis are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 24% lower, Sao Luis 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.99 COP 21.4K

$5.01 R$25.36

19.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.86 COP 117.2K

$30.50 R$154

7.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 COP 25.3K

$7.33 R$37.09

-3.27%

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

$0.95 R$4.80

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,776

$0.55 R$2.80

41.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 COP 5,987

$1.84 R$9.29

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 COP 10.9K

$3.19 R$16.16

-3.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 COP 3,899

$0.96 R$4.86

13.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,500

$1.92 R$9.73

-34.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,914

$1.01 R$5.13

36.63%

Eggs

$2.19 COP 7,813

$1.93 R$9.77

13.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.40 COP 15.7K

$9.39 R$47.49

-53.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 COP 20.1K

$3.70 R$18.71

52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 COP 31.7K

$7.21 R$36.49

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 COP 8,334

$1.86 R$9.43

25.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,771

$1.21 R$6.10

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 COP 5,365

$0.96 R$4.85

56.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,915

$1.37 R$6.91

0.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 COP 4,104

$1.11 R$5.61

3.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 COP 4,148

$1.24 R$6.28

-6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,176

$0.79 R$4.02

12.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,992

$0.57 R$2.86

47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 COP 8,131

$2.03 R$10.25

12.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.64 COP 37.9K

$8.03 R$40.62

32.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 COP 4,276

$1.10 R$5.56

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 COP 8,809

$1.94 R$9.82

27.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 COP 3,051

$0.79 R$4.02

8.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.40 COP 147.6K

$35.80 R$181

15.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 COP 5,255

$0.94 R$4.74

56.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.96 COP 6,997

$0.50 R$2.51

292.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.74 COP 27.6K

$6.49 R$32.84

19.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 COP 3,403

$0.95 R$4.79

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

$18.1K COP 64.6M

$17.2K R$86.9K

5.59%

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

$26.5K COP 94.4M

$25.8K R$130.4K

2.74%

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

$82.3 COP 293.2K

$84.0 R$425

-2.08%

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

$9.50 COP 33.9K

$17.24 R$87.2

-44.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.23 COP 86.4K

$16.25 R$82.2

49.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.89 COP 92.3K

$18.13 R$91.7

42.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.00 COP 67.7K

$15.52 R$78.5

22.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.93 COP 14.0K

$5.99 R$30.32

-34.39%

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

$309 COP 1.1M

$204 R$1,030

52.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,965 COP 21.3M

$4,284 R$21.7K

39.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 COP 209.1K

$44.54 R$225

31.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.35 COP 115.3K

$47.88 R$242

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 COP 365.7K

$54.3 R$275

88.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 386.5K

$55.0 R$278

97.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$476 COP 1.7M

$389 R$1,970

22.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.4M

$208 R$1,053

81.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 COP 3.0M

$516 R$2,609

62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$724 COP 2.6M

$295 R$1,495

144.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,791 COP 9.9M

$1,505 R$7,614

85.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,211 COP 4.3M

$723 R$3,660

67.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$512 COP 1.8M

$381 R$1,927

34.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

10.92

22.99%

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

Last update for Medellin: May 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Luis: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $476 in Medellin versus $389 in Sao Luis. 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 34% 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 $31.00 in Sao Luis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $177 – making Sao Luis 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 Sao Luis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 31%, 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 $1,161 in Sao Luis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Luis, 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 $31.00 in Sao Luis. 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 $774 in Sao Luis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Luis, where all-in costs run around $774, than in Medellin at $1,013. In Sao Luis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Luis – 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 Sao Luis. 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.