Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Sao Tome

For one person, living is cheaper in Sao Tome: $1,219 a month against $1,625 in Medellin, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

79

Cost of Living Index in Medellin
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Medellin Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Sao Tome
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Sao Tome Living Index

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Medellin

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,625

/mo nomad

Sao Tome

🇸🇹 Sao Tome and Principe

$1,219

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Medellin and in Sao Tome

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Medellin and in Sao Tome actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,625 per month in Medellin vs $1,219 in Sao Tome, rent included.

Medellin $1,625
Sao Tome $1,219

A couple spends around $2,412 per month in Medellin vs $1,924 in Sao Tome, rent included.

Medellin $2,412
Sao Tome $1,924

A family of three spends $3,199 per month in Medellin vs $2,629 in Sao Tome, rent included.

Medellin $3,199
Sao Tome $2,629

Medellin costs about 33% more than Sao Tome, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Medellin sits 20% above the global median, while Sao Tome is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.30 COP 26.3K

$9.18 STN 200

-9.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.91 COP 148.7K

$45.02 STN 981

4.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.24 COP 29.3K

$7.99 STN 174

15.64%

Cappuccino

$3.05 COP 9,676

$2.33 STN 50.8

30.90%

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

$1.80 COP 5,707

$1.81 STN 39.49

-0.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 COP 4,382

$1.27 STN 27.64

8.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 COP 10.3K

$1.66 STN 36.20

95.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.56 COP 17.6K

$1.88 STN 40.98

195.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 COP 4,760

$1.52 STN 33.18

-1.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 COP 7,508

$1.01 STN 22.12

134.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 COP 5,377

$2.13 STN 46.40

-20.19%

Eggs

$2.96 COP 9,379

$4.96 STN 108

-40.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.22 COP 32.4K

$19.41 STN 423

-47.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.74 COP 30.9K

$19.50 STN 425

-50.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 COP 44.1K

$24.70 STN 538

-43.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.13 COP 13.1K

$3.82 STN 83.3

8.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 COP 4,839

$1.78 STN 38.75

-14.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,052

$3.59 STN 78.2

-38.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 COP 7,194

$3.48 STN 75.9

-34.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 COP 6,311

$2.83 STN 61.6

-29.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 COP 5,285

$2.31 STN 50.4

-27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 COP 3,742

$0.54 STN 11.76

118.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 COP 3,919

$2.06 STN 45.01

-39.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 COP 12.3K

$2.33 STN 50.8

66.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 COP 43.7K

$7.96 STN 174

73.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 COP 5,256

$1.56 STN 34.09

6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,615

$1.65 STN 36.01

45.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 COP 3,944

$1.34 STN 29.17

-7.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.2 COP 248.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 COP 4,044

$1.66 STN 36.13

-22.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 COP 6,803

$2.55 STN 55.6

-15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 COP 26.5K

$13.93 STN 304

-39.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 COP 4,288

$1.69 STN 36.95

-20.12%

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

$34.8K COP 110.2M

$24.3K STN 529.0K

43.25%

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

$34.7K COP 110.0M

$31.6K STN 689.7K

9.63%

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

$167 COP 528.4K

$233 STN 5,083

-28.53%

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

$13.62 COP 43.2K

$30.60 STN 667

-55.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.12 COP 92.3K

$65.9 STN 1,436

-55.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.09 COP 143.0K

$33.92 STN 739

32.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.18 COP 54.5K

$25.32 STN 552

-32.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.97 COP 22.1K

$19.86 STN 433

-64.90%

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

$790 COP 2.5M

$226 STN 4,925

249.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,041 COP 28.7M

$2,179 STN 47.5K

314.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.8 COP 278.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.2 COP 184.4K

$75.1 STN 1,638

-22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 COP 440.7K

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.9 COP 313.5K

$18.53 STN 404

433.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 COP 3.3M

$283 STN 6,161

263.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 COP 2.0M

$192 STN 4,184

222.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,881 COP 6.0M

$929 STN 20.3K

102.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,008 COP 3.2M

$452 STN 9,846

123.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,988 COP 12.6M

$1,850 STN 40.3K

115.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,702 COP 5.4M

$1,160 STN 25.3K

46.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$663 COP 2.1M

$257 STN 5,595

158.46%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Medellin

$619 38.1%

Sao Tome

$192 15.7% 69% $428

Groceries & Markets

Medellin

$298 18.3%

Sao Tome

$412 33.8% 38.4% $114

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Medellin

$209 12.9%

Sao Tome

$330 27% 57.4% $120

Clothing & Footwear

Medellin

$173 10.6%

Sao Tome

$42 * 3.5% 75.6% $131

Eating Out

Medellin

$171 10.5%

Sao Tome

$150 12.3% 12.3% $21

Getting Around

Medellin

$95 5.9%

Sao Tome

$20 * 1.6% 79.3% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Medellin

$59 3.6%

Sao Tome

$74 6% 24.7% $15

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,028 in Medellin versus $283 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 158% 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 $47.00 in Medellin versus $45.00 in Sao Tome. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Medellin vs $412 in Sao Tome – so Medellin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Medellin

🇸🇹 Sao Tome

🕒 Local time

05:36 5:36 AM

10:36 10:36 AM

5 h ahead of Medellin

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,486,723

53,300 Capital

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra STN Db

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.15 USD

10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR

100 STN = 4.59 USD

100 STN = 4.08 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

STN, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 3,171 COP (10,000 COP = 3.15 USD). 1 EUR = 3,565 COP (10,000 COP = 2.81 EUR).

Sao Tome and Principe Dobra exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 21.8 STN (100 STN = 4.59 USD). 1 EUR = 24.51 STN (100 STN = 4.08 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Medellin Sao Tome 9,160 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Medellin
Sao Tome

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,437 per month in Medellin and $1,829 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 $47.00 in Medellin and $45.00 in Sao Tome. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 38% 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 $1,219, than in Medellin at $1,625. 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.