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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,003 per month in Medellin vs $756 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,573 per month in Medellin vs $1,287 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,143 per month in Medellin vs $1,817 in Sao Vicente, rent included.

Medellin costs about 33% more than Sao Vicente, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Medellin and Sao Vicente are more affordable than the global median – Medellin 25% lower, Sao Vicente 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.91 COP 18.9K

$5.53 R$28.31

6.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 COP 105.2K

$32.33 R$165

1.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.43 COP 23.7K

$6.38 R$32.66

16.46%

Cappuccino

$1.65 COP 5,276

$1.81 R$9.25

-8.84%

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

$1.10 COP 3,514

$1.23 R$6.31

-10.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 COP 2,491

$0.83 R$4.23

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,484

$1.81 R$9.27

-4.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.1K

$2.75 R$14.10

15.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 COP 3,521

$1.01 R$5.17

8.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 COP 4,015

$1.76 R$9.02

-28.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 COP 4,407

$1.37 R$7.02

0.73%

Eggs

$2.18 COP 6,950

$2.27 R$11.63

-3.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 COP 14.3K

$11.00 R$56.3

-59.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.79 COP 18.5K

$4.10 R$20.96

41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.97 COP 28.6K

$8.59 R$43.94

4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 COP 7,405

$1.78 R$9.09

30.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 COP 3,397

$1.21 R$6.19

-12.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 4,838

$1.38 R$7.08

10.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 COP 4,327

$1.65 R$8.46

-17.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 COP 3,599

$1.32 R$6.76

-14.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 3,738

$1.38 R$7.07

-15.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 COP 2,876

$1.02 R$5.22

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 2,861

$0.89 R$4.54

1.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 COP 7,128

$1.84 R$9.40

21.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.7K

$7.99 R$40.91

51.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,793

$1.43 R$7.30

-16.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,920

$2.08 R$10.62

19.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 COP 2,723

$0.91 R$4.67

-6.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.62 COP 132.8K

$39.09 R$200

6.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 COP 4,518

$1.12 R$5.73

26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 COP 6,223

$0.57 R$2.92

242.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.89 COP 25.2K

$7.54 R$38.59

4.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 COP 3,160

$1.08 R$5.53

-8.33%

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

$17.6K COP 56.2M

$20.7K R$106.1K

-15.13%

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

$26.8K COP 85.5M

$28.5K R$146.1K

-6.11%

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

$83.0 COP 264.9K

$51.3 R$262

61.97%

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

$9.70 COP 30.9K

$16.16 R$82.7

-39.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 COP 75.0K

$21.93 R$112

7.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.26 COP 80.6K

$18.11 R$92.7

39.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 COP 60.9K

$21.68 R$111

-11.90%

Cinema Ticket

$3.95 COP 12.6K

$7.07 R$36.17

-44.13%

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

$316 COP 1.0M

$279 R$1,429

13.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,975 COP 19.1M

$7,967 R$40.8K

-25.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.0 COP 191.4K

$46.23 R$237

29.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.82 COP 101.5K

$40.38 R$207

-21.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 COP 324.4K

$75.9 R$388

34.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 COP 342.8K

$55.2 R$282

94.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$475 COP 1.5M

$256 R$1,312

85.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 COP 1.2M

$200 R$1,025

86.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$849 COP 2.7M

$766 R$3,922

10.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$719 COP 2.3M

$462 R$2,364

55.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 COP 10.4M

$1,609 R$8,234

102.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,441 COP 4.6M

$1,149 R$5,880

25.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$624 COP 2.0M

$395 R$2,020

58.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

11.21

19.80%

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

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sao Vicente: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $475 in Medellin versus $256 in Sao Vicente. 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 58% 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 $32.00 in Sao Vicente. Groceries tell a different story – $193 in Medellin vs $200 in Sao Vicente – 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 Vicente: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 33%, 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 $1,504 per month in Medellin and $1,134 in Sao Vicente. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sao Vicente, 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 $32.00 in Sao Vicente. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,003 in Medellin and $756 in Sao Vicente. 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 Vicente, where all-in costs run around $756, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Sao Vicente it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Vicente – 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 Vicente. 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.