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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,716 per month in Medellin vs $1,237 in Sao Tome, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,527 per month in Medellin vs $1,954 in Sao Tome, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,338 per month in Medellin vs $2,672 in Sao Tome, rent included.

Medellin costs about 39% more than Sao Tome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Medellin sits 25% above the global median, while Sao Tome is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.03 COP 25.1K

$9.37 STN 198

-14.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.26 COP 150.8K

$46.23 STN 975

4.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.77 COP 30.5K

$8.13 STN 171

20.17%

Cappuccino

$2.91 COP 9,095

$2.37 STN 50.1

22.78%

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

$1.94 COP 6,074

$1.86 STN 39.18

4.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 COP 4,754

$1.27 STN 26.83

19.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 COP 9,663

$1.72 STN 36.24

79.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 COP 17.9K

$1.92 STN 40.43

198.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 COP 4,262

$1.66 STN 34.94

-18.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 COP 7,460

$1.01 STN 21.24

136.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,314

$2.16 STN 45.56

-21.30%

Eggs

$2.87 COP 8,967

$5.07 STN 107

-43.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.94 COP 31.1K

$20.55 STN 434

-51.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.78 COP 33.7K

$20.10 STN 424

-46.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.73 COP 46.0K

$24.81 STN 524

-40.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.09 COP 12.8K

$3.88 STN 81.8

5.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,911

$1.83 STN 38.59

-14.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 COP 6,642

$3.81 STN 80.4

-44.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 COP 6,917

$3.68 STN 77.5

-39.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,396

$2.98 STN 62.8

-31.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,700

$2.49 STN 52.5

-39.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 COP 3,718

$0.53 STN 11.11

124.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 COP 3,619

$2.10 STN 44.21

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 COP 12.2K

$2.31 STN 48.69

68.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.44 COP 45.1K

$8.37 STN 177

72.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 4,948

$1.58 STN 33.23

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 COP 8,836

$1.74 STN 36.74

62.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,650

$1.46 STN 30.72

-19.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.7 COP 242.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,014

$1.69 STN 35.68

-24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,537

$2.65 STN 55.9

-21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.62 COP 26.9K

$14.38 STN 303

-40.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,056

$1.82 STN 38.33

-28.57%

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

$27.7K COP 86.4M

$26.0K STN 548.7K

6.35%

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

$35.5K COP 110.9M

$32.6K STN 687.0K

9.06%

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

$176 COP 550.1K

$238 STN 5,014

-25.91%

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

$13.37 COP 41.8K

$32.55 STN 687

-58.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.89 COP 93.4K

$69.8 STN 1,472

-57.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.76 COP 139.8K

$35.06 STN 740

27.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 COP 53.3K

$26.12 STN 551

-34.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 COP 19.4K

$20.63 STN 435

-69.95%

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

$793 COP 2.5M

$240 STN 5,055

231.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,019 COP 28.2M

$2,261 STN 47.7K

298.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 COP 267.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.5 COP 182.7K

$76.9 STN 1,623

-23.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 COP 425.9K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 COP 322.2K

$19.38 STN 409

432.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 COP 3.3M

$294 STN 6,196

260.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 COP 2.1M

$199 STN 4,191

242.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,012 COP 6.3M

$953 STN 20.1K

111.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 COP 3.7M

$454 STN 9,569

157.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,111 COP 12.8M

$1,886 STN 39.8K

118.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,701 COP 5.3M

$1,166 STN 24.6K

45.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$665 COP 2.1M

$274 STN 5,772

143.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.94

7.38

48.24%

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

Last update for Medellin: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,060 in Medellin versus $294 in Sao Tome. 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 143% 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome. Groceries tell a different story – $303 in Medellin vs $425 in Sao Tome – 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 Sao Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 39%, 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 $2,574 per month in Medellin and $1,855 in Sao Tome. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Tome, 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 40% cheaper in Medellin – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Tome, where all-in costs run around $1,237, than in Medellin at $1,716. In Sao Tome it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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